Songcraft
by riverofmemories
Summary: "Perhaps we were someone else, once upon a time. Perhaps we even hold their memories in our heads. Maybe it means something that we've found one another now for some strange unknown reason, but it doesn't mean we are them." {Reincarnation AU}
1. Nine in the Afternoon

**. Nine in the Afternoon .**

* * *

" _Into a place where thoughts can bloom,_

 _Into a room where it's nine in the afternoon,_

 _And we know that it could be,_

 _And we know that it should,_

 _And you know that you feel it, too,_

' _Cause it's nine the afternoon."_

~ "Nine in the Afternoon" by Panic! at the Disco

* * *

As she stretched her arms over her head, enjoying the luxurious feeling that came afterwards, Lucy Heartfilia wondered why she was so miserable. It was delightful, she knew, feeling as if her muscles had been stretched to the limit and then simply melted. She sank into the comfortable leather armchair that sat in the corner of her living room, enjoying the sunlight that streamed in through the massive windows that decorated the side of her condo, bathing her in a warm golden light of late afternoon.

Most days, she would have been bothered by the size of it all, about the windows, about the furniture. She most certainly would have been bothered by the unopened envelope on her kitchen bar, meant for her while holding the chicken scratch of someone she didn't want to see ever again.

But the late fall day was too nice and warm - the last of the nice days, she guessed, before winter hit, and Lucy didn't really want to get up and deal with everything after a long day at the Heartfilia Bakery she'd opened only six months prior. She certainly enjoyed owning and working at the bakery, but it was tiresome when two of her teenage workers were out "sick" and it was a busy Wednesday.

"I should shower," Lucy muttered to herself drowsily, yawning as she pushed aside her misery. She thought of the warm water and grimaced, wrinkling her nose. She reeked of sweat and baked goods, but hot showers were horrible when the humidity outside was signaling rain. Everything just stuck to her skin. But she felt gross, and knew it needed to be done.

With a groan, Lucy hauled herself to her feet. The leather of her armchair stuck to her skin like velcro, and she grimaced as it peeled away. She removed her shirt with one swift movement, shivering when something washed through her.

 _Lips pressed to the back of her neck, warm arms wrapped around her waist, happiness practically radiating as much as heat did from the figure behind her-_

Lucy spun around on her heel, her dark eyes snapping this way and that as she looked for the figure she could have sworn had been there. The shock was quickly replaced with confusion when she realized she was alone. Lucy furrowed her brow and ran her fingers through her thick mop of blonde hair, which turned to gold beneath the afternoon light. Shaking her head, Lucy huffed, her misery returning tenfold without an explanation to back it up.

It was as if, she knew, she was missing something. Something _big_. She felt as if she should have been somewhere else, shouting a name she couldn't't quite think of at the moment. She could almost smell the clean air, feel the sun on her skin, warmer than it was now. She could taste smoke on the tip of her tongue as warmth surrounded her from every angle, wrapping around her like some kind of entrapping web.

And then it was gone and she was miserable and cold and alone.

Lucy huffed and shook off that misery, but the coldness remained despite her attempt.

 _Then again_ , she mused as she went to go and turn on the hot water for her shower, _I'm always cold now a days._

* * *

 _Rewritten as of April 8th, 2018!_

* * *

 _I said longer chapters. I think it'll depend on the chapter until I get past the rewriting. Lol._


	2. Who We Are

**. Who We Are .**

* * *

" _Up on the mountain,_

 _Down in the king's lair,_

 _Pushing these boxes in the heat of the afternoon._

 _Oh, afternoon._

 _~x~_

 _We were never welcome here,_

 _We were never welcome here at all._

 _No._

 _~x~_

 _It's who we are."_

~ "Who We Are" by Imagine Dragons

* * *

Making a face as he finished shoving the box out of the shadowed corner and into a nice sunny patch in the attic, Natsu Dragneel paused to push his pink hair out of his eyes and looked down at it before looking out of the attic window at the front lawn, where his youngest cousin was sprawled out on the lawn, enjoying the warmth before it was gone. His heart twisted in grief as he tried to not think about his father, whose familiar chicken scratch was scrawled onto the side of the box in black Sharpie.

 _Junk_ , it read, and Natsu snorted as he began to pry the old box open. Junk. As if anything his father had left behind could be considered _junk_.

As Natsu began to sort through the box's contents, he thought of how when he was younger, his father had denied him access to the attic. _"When you're older, I'll show you what's up there in those boxes,"_ he'd been told. _"Until then, you can wait."_

Not that it had ever stopped him from creeping into the dusty old attic at every chance he got. Even as young as three, Natsu had been found scrambling up that rickety old ladder to try and pry through the boxes as he did now. Igneel had always managed to snag him before he could get into anything, dragging him down with the threat of a good ass-whooping should he try and go back up. He'd never done anything like that, naturally, but the threat had worked.

For about an hour, and then Natsu would be back up and at it, scrambling up the ladder with the determination of a child who knew what he wanted and how to get to it.

A voice - the grating voice of his oldest cousin - shouted his name up the ladder, but Natsu ignored it. His cousin could screw off for the time being. If he left the attic now, he'd never build the courage back up to come back. It had taken him nearly fifteen years to get up there as it was. Of course, eleven of those years had been spent in what he compared to an evil orphanage in movies. He'd hated it there more than anything, and so had his other cousins. The second Gajeel had turned eighteen, he'd been granted custody of his younger cousins and they'd left without looking back.

They'd been lucky that the house had been paid off and left in a will for Natsu. He wasn't supposed to be able to have it until he turned eighteen, but the circumstances had given them the ability. Naturally, Gajeel and Wendy had moved in with him. Gajeel liked to complain about it a lot, but they all knew Gajeel preferred to know where his only family was.

A spike of grief raced through him and for some reason, he found himself reaching for his throat. There was nothing there, though, and he furrowed his brow in confusion. Why would he do that? He _never_ did that.

Still confused, he climbed to his feet, giving up on even going through one box when he realized he'd been sitting there long enough for Wendy to come inside and yell up for him, demanding, "Natsu! Come on! We have to go, and Gajeel said we're leaving without you if you don't hurry up!"

With reluctance, knowing he wouldn't be back up in that attic for a while, Natsu pushed the box back to where it had been originally and studied it before snagging a picture he saw from the top of a stack just inside, looking at it as he headed for the attic entrance. "I'm coming," he called down to the impatient girl glaring up at him. He began to clamber down, trying to look at the same time, and a hesitant smile slid onto his face. "Look what I found, Wendy," he said, offering the picture.

She lost her attitude and looked, and a mournful sound left her mouth. "Mom," she mumbled, biting her lip. For in the picture stood their parents. Wendy's mother, Natsu's aunt, was at the center, her face warm as she smiled at the camera. Beside her, to her left, was Igneel, his own gaze irritated as he glared over her head at Gajeel's father. Metalicana was firing a nasty look back at him, while the two uncles Natsu had never met looked at the pair in exasperation.

"It was in one of Igneel's boxes," Natsu said quietly.

She looked at him in surprise, brown eyes wide. "You were looking through them?"

He shook his head. "I got stuck on the first one. This is the only thing I really touched. Do you want it?"

Wendy nodded, and with a final look at the familiar face of Igneel, Natsu handed it over.

* * *

 _Rewritten as of April 9th, 2018!_

* * *

 _Here we are. A second one. Enjoy._


	3. I Had a Dream

**. I Had a Dream .**

* * *

" _I had a dream that we were born,_

 _A generation to behold,_

 _Writing fires with our words,_

 _Instead of useless smoke that blurs."_

~ "I Had a Dream" by Kelly Clarkson

* * *

The room was beautiful. The warm sunlight streamed in through the gorgeous, stained windows, striking everything within the massive room and turning it a variety of colors. Lucy loved the way the light danced on sets of ancient armor and display cases, watching with awe in her eyes as her lips curved into a faint smile. She loved the museum, and one of her favorite rooms was one on the top floor, where the most valuable pieces were kept. The museum itself was home to many valuable artifacts - some the most valued historical artifacts in the world - and she couldn't even begin to count how many times she'd gone through its archives, seeking information from ancient texts. She could imagine running her fingers over old paper, breathing in the scent of books from centuries ago…

But, Lucy remembered as a familiar clacking filled her ears, she supposed she wasn't here to read.

"Lucy?" a familiar voice called warily, its owner seeking her. Lucy looked over to the doorway that towered a dozen feet above the small woman's head, and Lucy smiled at the sight of her. "Are you here?"

"Of course," Lucy reassured. "Would I miss one of our weekly dinners?" She rustled the paper bag in her lap on purpose. Levy McGarden scowled at her efforts before slowly making her way over. Lucy watched her friend of five years with quiet dark eyes, taking in the sight of the blind woman approaching. She was petite, smaller than most people at the age of twenty-three, but she looked fierce with her fingers loosely gripping her cane and her signature band of cloth wrapped around her eyes to protect her from odd looks. Her blue hair was wild around her head, giving her the impression of a mad scientist.

Levy navigated extremely well despite her blindness. She dropped onto the bench beside her friend when she reached it, setting aside her cane. Lucy smiled warmly at her, proud to call her friend. She knew the museum like the back of her hand and could give tours like any other staff member. Lucy furrowed her brow as she began to divvy up the food. She remembered the days in which Levy had smiled with sparkling hazel eyes, wearing that cloth she used to hide them in her hair to keep it out of her face. Now, it was used to keep the visitors from staring.

"Gimme," Levy said suddenly, holding her hand out. Lucy laughed and slapped a sandwich into her hand, which Levy sank her teeth into without hesitation. "This is delicious, Lucy," she moaned, mouth full. "Just what I need before I finish up my plans for tomorrow."

Curiosity filled the young blonde, who cocked her head as she took a bite of her own sandwich. "What plans? What's going on tomorrow?"

"I'm giving a school group a tour," she explained. She often did so, her extent of knowledge ridiculous in its size. She usually gave lectures at local universities, too, and she loved teaching everyone about history despite needing help navigating newer spaces. "They're doing a research project on the Ishgar Era. Each student has to pick one aspect to focus their attention on, and their research has to include an object from the museum. I hope someone chooses the old quills. And the keys upstairs."

Lucy grinned, thinking of those keys. She was quite fond of looking at them. They were gorgeous, made of solid school with the symbols of the twelve zodiac on them. A thirteenth made of black metal completed the set, and there were so many theories on what they'd been used to unlock, what the symbols atop meant, everything. Lucy personally thought they'd belonged to a group of friends, although she couldn't say where the belief had come from.

"I hope you have fun with those kids," she said, taking another bite of her sandwich.

Levy hummed in response and said, "I'm probably going to cry again. I always cry when I talk about the Ishgar Era."

It was true, too, Lucy knew. She did always cry. Rather than questioning the mournful tilt to Levy's lips, the way her voice filled with longing, she merely hummed and reached for the bottle of water she'd brought with her.

* * *

 _Rewritten as of April 10th, 2018!_

* * *

 _Fun with the Levy. Some more detail on the museum._


	4. Lost Memories

**. Lost Memories .**

* * *

" _I've got lost memories,_

 _Can't even remember what we used to be,_

 _We had a good time,_

 _We had a good ride,_

 _But it's lost forever."_

~ "Lost Memories" by Mishon

* * *

Natsu had never been a big fan of museums. To him, they were boring, full of endless hours of waiting on people to stop staring at the same item that they'd been staring at all day. Yet, here he was, standing at the doors to one of the most famous museums in the country. Wendy stood beside him, chattering cheerfully with a friend from one of her classes. Gajeel had dropped them both off rather than making them ride the school bus with everyone else. Wendy's teacher, a calmly smiling woman, made sure they were all there - including Natsu, who she beamed at for some reason or another. He was willing to bet it was because no other adult had come along to keep the high schoolers in check.

Finally, she announced for the to follow her, and Natsu kept close to Wendy as he followed the small group into the museum, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. His onyx eyes roved columns, made of green marble that towered dozens of feet above their heads, as they entered. When they were inside, he saw a few display cases, and his eyes caught briefly on the golden hilt of a sword that was on display. He'd always loved the color gold, although he wasn't sure why.

It was the clacking that first caught his attention. Wendy gasped quietly - so quietly that he barely heard it. His eyes lifted from a particularly interesting gold object to his right and widened in shock when he saw the woman who had come to greet them. She was lovely, though not really his type, with a small slim body and confident stance. Her lips were curved into a pleasant smile, her eyes hidden by a piece of cloth that had been tied over them. A cane was held loosely in her hands, and she leaned lightly on it - the source of the clacking.

"Hello," she called, voice lifted so that everyone could hear her. She didn't pause at the curious whispers in the air, and Natsu felt a stab of sympathy for her. She must have been used to the comments about her eyes hidden. "My name is Levy McGarden, and I'll be giving you a tour of the museum - or, at least, the sections that pertain to the Ishgar era...if you'd like to see the other parts, however, I'm always willing to give a tour of those as well, you'll just have to come at a different time. If you'll follow me, we'll start with objects that were found in the oldest parts of Crocus, some even from Mercurius Castle…"

Natsu let himself zone out. He didn't care much for history, but the things were kind of cool to look at. He studied them as he walked, making sure none of the children were left behind like he'd promised to do when agreeing to help the teacher - a woman named Mirajane Strauss - with the group. He sort of listened to Levy as she talked, only focusing in on what she was saying when she talked about something he thought fascinating. There was a series of iron pieces that she seemed to particularly be fond of and Natsu thought the way she talked about them - with love and care - was so sincere that she must have been in love with whoever had owned them. He snickered to himself at the idea. You couldn't love someone who'd been alive thousands of years ago, it just wasn't possible.

It was while passing near a display case, his hand mindlessly rubbing his sternum, that he stopped to stare, his heart missing a beat. His eyes widened as feelings ripped through him, feelings and images he thought strange.

 _Red scales, shimmering in the light of the day, warm green eyes blinking slowly at him as heat swirled through the air, a rumbling roar deafening him, even as he smiled so brightly-_

"Scales."

He jumped. Levy had appeared beside him, her lips tugged into a gentle smile, as if she knew exactly what he was looking at. He glanced at her and then turned to look at the piece of fabric cradled within the display case. Levy was seemingly looking towards the case, her face turned away from him. "It's supposedly made of scales and belonged to a man in a guild. The most well-known guild. Stories say he was loved by many and loved his partner fiercely enough that he nearly died for her several times. He never took it off."

Natsu thought she spoke of this man as if he was family, like she'd spoken of the iron but a little different.

He didn't say anything for a few moments. Finally, the only comment he could make was a simple, "What idiot wears a scarf in the summer?"

Levy grinned and turned away, walking back to lead the group and continue the tour as her cane clacked against the ground. The sound filled his ears like the images filled his mind, and Natsu watched after her curiously.

 _Who is she really?_

* * *

 _Rewritten as of April 13th, 2018_

* * *

 _Eyyy, another one._


	5. Like I'm Gonna Lose You

**. Like I'm Gonna Lose You .**

* * *

" _I found myself dreaming,_

 _In silver and gold,_

 _Like a scene from a movie,_

 _That every broken heart knows._

 _We were walking on moonlight,_

 _And you pulled me close,_

 _Split second and you disappeared,_

 _And then I was all alone."_

~ "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" by Meghan Trainor

* * *

 _She placed each foot on the stones beside the water with care, not daring to misplace a single step. One misstep and she'd end up in the water, where she most certainly did not want to be. She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing there. There, of course, being the old Magnolia, which she'd seen in images within Levy's museum and the internet and wherever else it was able to be viewed. But it was beautiful, and, to be honest, she loved it more than the modern day Magnolia, with its gorgeous stone buildings, fresh air, and clear view of the stars above._

 _A shout of her name - or, at least, she thought it was her name - filled the air and she whirled around, stepping off of the stones and onto the familiar cobbled street with a laugh. There was a near shriek of delight and then she was caught up in someone's arms. They'd flown at her, beyond excited to see her, and she found herself wrapping her arms around them in return as they hugged her tightly, lifting her a little off the ground. Hot breath touched her neck as warmth surrounded her. Fingers dug into her where they gripped, but not painfully. It was as if they were seeking reassurance that she was there, and she gladly hugged them back, just as tightly. She buried her face in their throat, breathing in the scent of smoke, something she'd always loved, and for the first time in a very long time, she felt-_

Lucy snapped awake, shooting upright in her bed. Her hands shook as she lifted her hands to her face, which had become streaked with tears. Her heart throbbed with agony and a sob choked its way out of her throat as moonlight danced through the open windows. The curtains whisked around in a breeze, but she didn't pay them the slightest attention as she focused on the dream she had not wanted to end.

She swallowed thickly, drawing her knees to her chest and bending her head so that it rested on them. Her blonde hair fell freely around her naked body, tickling her flesh. She shivered. It was nowhere near as comforting as the touch of the person who had hugged her had been. She took a shaken breath, the sound ragged, feeling and seeing and smelling everything so clearly.

Before she knew it, a loud sob had escaped her. She buried her face in her fingers, not entirely understanding her response to this dream. She'd never reacted like this to anything her brain had come up with. Then again, she doubted she'd ever had such a dream.

Lucy had no idea who the man had been, for she knew he'd been male. While she'd been craving a relationship for quite some time now, she was sure the single life she'd been living wouldn't lead to the kind of response she found herself having.

No, it was the depth of the love she'd felt for the other person that dragged her down into despair. The sheer love that had fit so well with the complete trust that this person cared for her just as much as she cared for him, that he loved her fiercely and would be there no matter what happened between them. She'd felt it; that man had held the other half of her soul.

Lucy wanted nothing more than to dream that dream again. She wanted to find that man she'd dreamed of again and feel the safety he offered, feel the love that had flowed through her veins. She wanted to go back to that warmth that had swirled through her. She wanted to bury her face in their shoulder and smell the smoke that came with him. She wanted to know that she had the person who understood her more than even her childhood friend did.

The idea of being stuck in this reality...this loneliness, in which the man didn't exist…

Lucy didn't sleep until nearly dawn, instead spending the remainder of the night weeping for the loss she felt but didn't understand.

* * *

 _Rewritten as of April 14th, 2018!_

* * *

 _Still a favorite chapter of mine._


	6. Can You Hold Me

**. Can You Hold Me .**

* * *

" _It feels like a tear in my heart,_

 _Like a part of me missing,_

 _And I just can't feel it._

 _I've tried and I've tried_

 _And I've tried._

 _Tears on my face I can't take it._

 _If lonely's a taste, then it's all that I'm tasting._

 _Do you hear my cry?"_

~ "Can You Hold Me" by NF ft. Britt Nicole

* * *

Something wasn't right.

It was the first thought in Natsu's mind when he practically shot out of bed with a sob in his throat. His fingers clawed helplessly, uselessly at his chest, as if he could try and pry the ache that resided there free and throw it away. It wasn't physical. He knew it wasn't, but it still killed him - still threatened to sweep him away as he desperately sought for someone he didn't know or something he didn' understand.

Something wasn't _right_.

He'd felt that way for days. Felt that way since he'd seen that damn scarf at that museum, since he'd gone back on his own a few days later to take a closer look at it as well as the items in other cases. it was as if something was missing from his life - several somethings, actually. He couldn't figure it out...couldn't understand it, really. He felt as if one smelled of home and smoke while the other smelled of starlight and sunshine. He couldn't understand why he thought anything would smell like such silly things. He had no clue as to where either thought had come from.

Something _wasn't right._

Natsu had tried to speak to his cousins about it. Wendy had been incredibly sympathetic, even worried. She'd soothed him in that way only she could, only the way a young fourteen year old girl in high school could. She'd reassured him that she still loved him and that she didn't think he was crazy no matter what Gajeel said. But the girl had been worried, too, suggesting, _"Perhaps you should go to the doctor?"_

Gajeel had been incredibly unhelpful, and Natsu had wanted to throttle him for it when he'd said, snickering, _"Yeah, go see a doctor for your mind. What are they called...psychiatrist? Therapist? I'll make sure you get food when you're shoved into a mental institution."_ He'd said as much while shoving his mouth full of cereal, skimming through readings for a class he should have done weeks ago.

 _Something wasn't right_.

Natsu buried his face in his arms after folding so that he could rest it in his lap. He barely bit back the frustrated, longing scream that he wanted to let loose. He didn't have work to do, or school, but both of his cousins had things to do and he didn't want to disrupt their sleep before the sun rose.

Something was missing.

Natsu knew as much as he began to soften his breathing, forcing himself to calm down, to relax. He had no idea what it was, but it had started with that stupid scarf. He reached over and grabbed the phone from his nightstand, wiping the back of his hand against his forehead to swipe away cold sweat that had gathered. He paused, hand pushed halfway through his pink hair when he realized perhaps, just maybe, there was someone who might be able to help him.

Something was _missing_.

When he dialed Levy McGarden after hunting down her office number on the museum website, he didn't expect her to answer, but he lifted the phone to his ear anyways. He listened to the perky voice ask him to leave a message after a quick explanation and apology, and when there was a beep, he said hesitantly, "This is Natsu Dragneel. I don't know if you remember me, but we chatted back when the local high school came to visit the museum for a research project, and you told me about that weird scarf...I have some questions about it, if you're okay with me coming by to ask 'em. Call me back when you have the time."

Something _was missing_.

He hung up and contemplated before sighing and turning to go back to sleep - or at least attempt as much. He knew without a doubt that he'd not be getting any sleep, that horrible tug not leaving him in peace as he screwed his eyes shut and buried his face in his pillow.

* * *

 _Something was missing_.

He was sorting through one of the boxes in the attic, just beginning really, when he got the call. He answered it immediately, greeting the number he didn't recognize in relief. "I'll meet you at the museum entrance at precisely noon this afternoon," Levy McGarden told him. "One one condition: bring me a sandwich and cookie from the Heartfilia Bakery downtown. I'm friends with the owner and she can't bring my daily lunch tomorrow."

But not for much longer.

* * *

 _Rewritten as of May 7th, 2018!_


	7. Everything Has Changed

**. Everything Has Changed .**

* * *

"' _Cause all I know is we said, 'hello,'_

 _And your eyes look like coming home,_

 _All I know is a simple name,_

 _And everything has changed._

…

 _Come back and tell me why,_

 _I'm feeling like I've changed you all this time…"_

~ "Everything Has Changed" by Taylor Swift

* * *

Lucy decided she could have throttled the high school worker who'd decided to skip out on her shift without warning on the busiest morning of the week as she swiped sweat from her forehead, wiped her hand on her apron, and pressed her lips together. Her long blonde hair was tied out of her face, stress written on her face as she finished making the coffee and handed it over. "Enjoy," she said, smiling warmly. Even as she wanted to scream at the strands of hair that had escaped her ponytail and tickled and stuck to her cheeks.

"Next!" Lucy called, sighing heavily and grumbling under her breath. "Stupid useless workers…"

She was going to fire that high schooler, she decided, glaring at the counter as she returned to the register. This wasn't the first time they'd skipped out, and with only Lucy working, it made her life ten times harder. Frustrated, Lucy wanted to smack her head on the crumb-cluttered counter. Instead, however, she pushed a smile to her face and glanced up when a hesitant voice said, "Uh...hi."

For some reason, the voice sent something electric spiking through her veins. Her eyes locked onto the uncomfortable looking man, who peered at her from curious onyx eyes. He looked just as puzzled as she felt as he cocked his head a little and his pink hair stuck up at every odd angle as he pushed his hands into his pockets. His mouth opened, closed, and then remained shut, his face filling with simple puzzled confusion as Lucy finally flushed and sputtered, "Hello! What can...what can I get you?"

What was that odd feeling in her chest, she wondered as she rubbed it. Her heart was fluttering wildly, a warm excitement filling her. She felt delighted, relieved to see this stranger. She'd never met him before, but there was something about him that made her want to cry and scream, laugh and tackle him in a hug-

Her face grew even warmer when he smiled, lips curving into a broad grin that lit up his entire face. He delivered an order and it smacked her in the face upon hearing those familiar titles. A sly smile crossed her face. Despite the weird feelings running through her, Lucy said, getting to work, "You're going to see Levy at the museum, aren't you?" He blinked, startled. "She's the only one who orders a sandwich like that...do you want something to eat, too?"

"Yeah." He studied her. "I had some questions about this weird scarf I came across...you're the owner, aren't you? She said you were friends with her. That you couldn't bring her lunch today. She wouldn't talk with me unless I brought her food."

"That's me: Lucy Heartfilia. She's my best friend," Lucy said cheerfully. She flashed him another warm smile and arched a brow when she saw that his cheeks were coloring red, too, as if he was flustered. Something flickered through his gaze. Confusion? Curiosity? Excitement, like she felt? She wasn't sure. "Tell Levy I say hi, would you?"

"Sure," he said finally, his cheeks still a delicate shade of red. He watched her intently enough that she nearly fumbled as she went to work on preparing his food and drinks - though neither of them had asked for drinks. She knew better.

When she was done, the friendly blonde offered the order to him. The bag rustled as she held it out, and he hesitantly took it, careful not to brush his fingers against hers, but then, when he held out some cash, she gently pushed his hand back towards him. She jumped when electric shocks snapped through her veins. He snatched his own hand back, looking startled - maybe more so than she did. "No," Lucy said with a faint laugh, her fingers trembling. "Keep it. It's on the house. I sneaked a cookie and sandwich into there for you, too, Mr…?"

"Dragneel," he rasped. They were a downright mess, Lucy decided as he stammered. "Natsu Dragneel."

Lucy offered him a hesitant smile, leaning on the counter. She offered a gentle, "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Dragneel. Good luck with Levy."

He grinned at her, turning to leave as he called over his shoulder, "Thanks." He'd taken only a few steps before he glanced back. He looked reluctant to leave. Lucy felt the same, grateful he'd done so - even if it was upsetting the other customers waiting for their turn. He studied her closely. "Have I met you before, Lucy?"

She met his gaze evenly, not moving from where she was resting her elbows on the counter. "Not that I know, but it certainly feels that way, doesn't it? Come by sometime, Natsu. I'd like to chat with you again."

He looked beyond pleased with that, his eyes flickering with delight at the sound of his name on her lips. And then he gave her a mock salute and left the bakery. Lucy watched him as he went, ignoring the next customer in favor of it.

She really, really hoped, she realized, that he came to visit her again.

* * *

 _Rewritten as of May 9th, 2018!_


	8. Change

**. Change .**

* * *

" _And it's a sad picture, the final blow hits you,_

 _Somebody else gets what you wanted again and_

 _You know it's all the same, another time and place,_

 _Repeating history and you're getting sick of it._

 _But I believe in whatever you do,_

 _And I'll do anything to see it through."_

~ "Change" by Taylor Swift

* * *

Levy may have been blind for the past few years after an incident that she was not proud of, but she knew for a fact that his eyes weren't on her face. Nor were they on the display case that protected a scaled scarf Levy knew was there - that she knew he cared for deeply without understanding just why he liked it so much. No, she knew his attention was mind was miles away, focused on someone she'd tricked him into coming into contact with: Lucy Heartfilia.

"So," Levy mused suddenly, and Natsu jumped at the sound of her voice. And they thought it was easy to scare the blind woman. "You met Lucy?"

"Yeah," he said faintly, clearing his throat. Finally, Natsu had focused on what was important to discuss. "The lady who gave me your food, right?"

"Right," Levy confirmed, smiling. "She's my friend and I don't know what I'd do without her. She was there for me when I had no one else. You see," she paused to tap her blindfold-hidden eyes, snickering at her own words, "when this happened, everyone thought it was too hard to help. Everyone but Lucy. She's going with me tomorrow. We're giving a talk at a college. About historical artifacts and the different types and places they've been found in, how I decide which guild or person or group they belonged to." She doubted he cared right now, but she didn't like the quiet. Smirking as she tore a bite out of her sandwich, Levy suddenly said casually, "Isn't she pretty?"

Natsu turned a suspicious look on her and she felt it enough to snicker. "So, Mr. Dragneel," Levy hummed as she licked her lips. "What can I do for you?"

"I just…" Natsu faltered. He'd been excited to meet with her. Hoped for answers. But now that he was faced with the prospect of getting those answers… "That scarf...the feeling it gave me...it's important. I feel like it's really important to me." She smiled proudly, happy that he was actually getting to the point now. "And I've had these weird dreams, and there's something _wrong_. I can feel it in my bones." He paused again. She patiently waited as she took another bite, letting him run through his thoughts. "And when I met that girl earlier...Lucy...it's just...I…"

He clamped up and Levy felt disappointment cloak her. "You thought I could help you?" she said, a bite to her words. "I'm a historian, an archivist, Mr. Dragneel. I'm blind. What exactly do you think you can do?"

"Well, yeah, you're blind and weirdly skilled with all of that stuff, but it doesn't mean you're stupid."

"That's so kind," Levy drawled. Amused when he sputtered, flustered, she said, "I'm joking Mr. Dragneel." Her voice softened. Setting aside her sandwich, she brushed blue locks from her face, annoyed with how they tickled her. "I don't think I can help you with the dreams. Or the feelings, and I'm really, really sorry about that. But...I'll let you in on a little secret." Levy gleaned, leaning towards him. She got close enough that he leaned back, wary of her touching him. "That girl you met earlier, Lucy? She texted me just this morning about a strange dream she had last night. I'll give you her number and let her know that you're going to text her. How does that sound?"

Natsu furrowed his brow, eyeing her suspiciously. "You're not setting me up or anything, are you? I'm not looking for a girlfriend."

Levy tilted her head back and laughed, her hand reaching out and plucking her cane up with ease. "Believe me, it would take you a _long_ time to get that much trust from her. She's had some problems in the past when it came to dating due to her family life. If you end up dating, I'll throw you a party and you'll have my eternal gratitude, Mr. Dragneel. But seriously. Lucy woke up crying from her dreams last night." She stood, ignoring his protests, and took her sandwich back into her hands, shoving the rest of it into her mouth. She had work to do, and though she enjoyed the break she'd been granted...she had a lot to prepare for her talk tomorrow.

She heard the rustling of clothes as Natsu stood and when he spoke again, his voice came from somewhere over her head. She wasn't surprised; she'd had an average idea of how tall he was. Lucy often described people to her by relating them to people they'd known in the past. But for people like Natsu, Levy found she didn't need the comparison. "Thank you. I know we didn't talk about much, but I appreciate that you even met with me."

Her lips trembled; she didn't want him to leave. So long. She'd gone _so long_ without seeing someone outside of Lucy or Gray…

"Would you like a private tour of the museum?" she asked softly, her hidden face tipped back as if she could see his wide eyes. "I'll give you Lucy's number when we're done."

"Sure," he said, and her heart swelled with warmth.

If she couldn't be happy...if she had to wait forever and ever for that _one person_ …

She could at least ensure that they were happy.

* * *

 _Rewritten as of June 16th, 2018!_


	9. Heartbeat Song

**. Heartbeat Song .**

* * *

" _You, where the hell did you come from?_

 _You're a different, different kind of fun,_

 _And I'm so used to feeling numb._

 _Now I got pins and needles on my tongue._

 _Anticipated what's to come,_

 _Like a finger on a loaded gun."_

~ "Heartbeat Song" by Kelly Clarkson

* * *

Lucy sighed softly as she eyed the entrance to the community college Levy was going to present at, her fingers gently gripping her friend's arm. Levy grumbled under her breath as she slammed the butt of her cane firmly into the ground to determine where it was beneath her. "Lucy," the cranky blue-haired historian snapped, "I'm fine. I can get out of a car by myself."

"I know," Lucy reassured. "I'm just trying to help, Levy. You know that."

Levy always got cranky and irritable when she went to deliver talks, no matter how much she enjoyed them. Lucy had done enough of these with her to not be bothered by Levy's severe attitude about the matter of getting there. She released Levy's arm and then rubbed her hands together as she and Levy set off for the building. Lucy held the door open for her friend, who sniffed and stepped past her.

It was while Lucy was stepping after her that her phone went off. "Hello?" she said, lifting it to her ear.

"Lucy!" the voice on the other end wailed and Lucy winced, holding it away from ear. _Ow._ "I'm so sorry, but please! You have to come to the bakery."

Lucy sighed heavily. "Hold on, Levy," she said and Levy faltered to wait for her, not daring to go much further without Lucy. Lucy shifted the phone into her other hand and said patiently, "Calm down, Lisanna, and start at the beginning. What happened?"

"I was making some of that cinnamon toast for today's breakfast special," Lisanna said, voice quivering. "You know, the one with the special jam we purchased from the local farm? Well, you know how the toaster is, and the toast got stuck in the toaster and I didn't notice-"

"Lisanna," Lucy said calmly. "Do not tell me you lit my bakery on fire."

"I lit the bakery on fire," she wailed.

Lucy groaned in exasperation. "What's the damage? Was there any injuries from our customers?" She ran through the expenses in her mind. The money didn't worry her. She had plenty of insurance, and if absolutely necessary, her greedy father would trade a night out for repairing it. But she'd prefer to avoid that.

"No, no injuries. Minor damage," Lisanna reassured with a sniffle. "I just...I'm sorry! I know you trusted me with the bakery while you were out - can you come back and help? The police want a report and I don't know what to do, since you have all of the information in your safe-"

Lucy pressed her lips together. She and Levy had an unspoken agreement about Levy's outings to talk to people about what she did and the museum's representation that she gave it: Lucy did not leave her blind friend alone surrounded by strangers. "I'll see what I can do," she promised and then added, "Don't panic, okay? See you later." She hung up and then turned all of her attention on Levy, whose lips were twitching with amusement.

"Did Lisanna light the bakery on fire?" she said with an almost teasing lilt to her voice.

"Yes," Lucy admitted, running a hand through her blonde hair. She looked at her blind friend in distress. "I need to go, but I always help you, and I can't just leave you here - how would you even get back to the museum?"

"Go," Levy sighed, "I'm a big girl, Lucy, I can deliver the talk all on my own. As for getting to the museum, there's this thing called a taxi, or even another staff member here, if they're willing." Lucy shifted, still reluctant. "Lucy, _go_. I'll be fine." She knew what a big deal the bakery was to her friend. It had been her way to achieve freedom for so long.

"I _can't_ ," Lucy whined. "Not...I can't just leave you unless there someone who can help you."

Levy was getting irritated now. She loved Lucy, was grateful for the determination her friend felt when it came to helping her out. "Lucy, I'm not a child. I've been blind for a few years now. I think I can deal with it."

"Okay, okay, but let me find someone who can at least help you get there, okay?" Lucy took a quick look around, grimacing when the only person who was close enough and even around was a tall man who was somewhat terrifying, with long dark hair pulled out of his face and a wide variety of piercings covering his face and arms. "Hey!" she called, lunging for him. He sent her a cranky glare when she grabbed his arm and Lucy briefly worried it had been a bad idea as she stared into irritable red eyes. He arched a pierced brow, waiting for her to speak, and Lucy flushed in embarrassment before saying faintly, "Are you going to the talk?"

"Yeah?" he said suspiciously. "Why? Who the hell are you?"

A loud clatter brough Lucy out of her thoughts. She spun around, the man she'd grabbed doing the same, and they stared in equal surprise at Levy. The blue-haired woman was clearly in shock, her body shaking and her mouth dropped wide open. She'd dropped her cane and after a long, long moment, in which she closed her mouth and pressed her lips into a tight line, she slowly dropped to the ground on her knees. She sought out her cane and Lucy hurried over, pressing the cane into her hands after picking it up. The man didn't move, reluctant to leave without figuring out what they'd wanted.

"I'm sorry," Levy whispered, voice shaking. "I just...I…"

"Levy," Lucy said gently, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Levy's voice was surprisingly fierce. She shook off whatever had startled or scared her, grabbing her cane firmly in her fingers and climbing to her feet. She pressed her lips together, flinching when the man suddenly spoke.

"Look, I gotta go-"

"Take her with you," Lucy pleaded, whirling to face him with wide eyes. "Please. She's the one giving the lecture, and I can't help her get there. I have to get to my bakery." She pressed her hands together, begging. "Please?"

"Lucy," Levy said crossly, "I can find my own way there, I'm not a helpless child."

"Sure, I'll help," he said, surprising them both. Levy's hands shook again. He jerked his chin at the blind woman. "I'll make sure she gets there." He pushed his hands into his pockets, studying her, and Lucy beamed.

"Thank you." Lucy turned to face her friend, grabbing her shoulders gently. "Levy, I don't know this guy, but stick with him, okay? I'll pick you up after, I swear."

"Okay, but really, I'm-"

Before Levy could finish her sentence, Lucy was gone, sprinting down the hallway of the university, leaving Levy alone with the awkward strange man beside her.

"Uh, this way, I guess," he offered, and she turned her face in the direction of his voice as he squinted at her. After a moment of watching her, he said pointedly, "You're kind of a shrimp, ain't ya?"

Rather than bristling as she would have at anyone else, Levy's lips trembled. "Yeah," she said after a moment, laughing hoarsely. "I guess so. Thank you for helping me. I'm Levy McGarden." She offered her hand to shake.

Her body tensed when he took it, calloused fingers gripping hers. He frowned a little, feeling the way her hand trembled in his as he shook it. "Gajeel Redfox," he said, smirking despite the fact that she couldn't see it. "Need a hand to hold, shrimp?"

Despite everything, Levy grinned. "Bite me, Redfox."

* * *

 _Rewritten as of July 10th, 2018!_


	10. Believer

**. Believer .**

* * *

" _Last things last,_

 _By the grace of the fire and the flames,_

 _You're the face of the future, the blood in my veins, oh-ooh._

 _The blood in my veins, oh-ooh._

 _But they never, ever lived, ebbing and flowing,_

 _Inhibited, limited, till it broke and it rained down…"_

~ "Believer" by Imagine Dragons

* * *

When Natsu ducked into the Heartfilia Bakery, his onyx eyes were wide with concern for the residents and the owner. He'd seen the flashing red and blue lights outside - police cars, one person by each. Two of them had resided just outside with people pointing and whispering as they walked by, wondering what was happening.

His gaze scanned the calm customers, none of which seemed too concerned. He noticed a large scorch mark at the back of the bakery, behind the counter. As if something had almost caught fire - no, as if something had definitely caught fire but been caught before it engulfed everything. His shoulders relaxed from the tightness that had appeared in them for reasons he didn't understand when he saw Lucy Heartfilia calmly speaking with a pair of policemen, her hands gesturing to that scorch mark. A silver-haired woman stood beside her, looking ashamed.

Rather than approaching, Natsu thought it smart to hang back even as other customers left. It wasn't long after the pink-haired man had arrived that the police left anyways. As soon as the door shut behind them, the woman turned to face Lucy and wailed, "I'm sorry, Lucy! I really am!"

Lucy, rather than scolding her or yelling, merely threw her head back and laughed. Natsu watched the pretty blonde closely, eyes refusing to leave her as she said gently, "Lisanna, it's fine. Just try not to let it happen again, okay? Insurance will cover the damage. Why don't you go home and rest for the day? I'm going to go ahead and close the bakery for the rest of the day," she added.

"Okay," Lisanna mumbled, still looking as if she felt horrible. Lucy shook her head with a chuckle as she took the apron Lisanna removed and watched as she went to go and retrieve her things. Lucy folded it, tucking it over her arm, and then lifted her face to study the room. Natsu stilled when she realized he was the only one there, uncomfortable yet relieved she'd finally seen him. She put her hands on her hips and smiled in a friendly manner. After a moment she raised her hand, and, taking it as an invitation, Natsu made his way over to her, hands shoved deep into his pockets.

"Hello, Mr. Dragneel," Lucy said playfully, her dark eyes sparkling warmly. "Can I help you?"

The way her tongue curled around his last name made him shiver. Usually, he was stupidly confident, but there was something about Lucy that knocked him off kilter. He found himself faltering before saying nervously, "Maybe. Levy…" She perked up at the sound of her friend's name. "I spoke with her and she gave me your number. She said to call you about something I've been having problems with, but...uh, I didn't want to just call you without talking to you first. I thought it would be weird."

"It would definitely be weird," Lucy agreed, frowning. "Is she trying to hook us up? I'll kill her," she added irritably, not at all happy with the idea.

Natsu was caught by surprise and snorted in amusement. "No, no," he said hastily. He cleared his throat, lifting his chin. He liked Lucy - a lot, he realized. She was pretty and had a good sense of humor. "She said that you'd mentioned some weird dreams?"

He wasn't surprised when she went on the defensive, eyes narrowing suspiciously at him. She was clearly unhappy that Levy had told him about them. "So?" Lucy challenged. "What about my weird dreams?"

"Nothing," he said hastily. "I just...I've been having some weird dreams, too, and Levy thought that you'd be able to help me with them." He hesitated, eyes uncertain as he searched her gaze. She'd relaxed a little, he was grateful to see. He'd not wanted to scare her off. Natsu admittedly wanted to get to know her, she was she thought about it all. "I know it's even weirder than usual, but...you were in the one I had last night."

Lucy considered this for a short time and then smiled weakly at him. He immediately felt bad; he wanted her to smile as largely as she had when she'd first caught sight of him. "That is pretty weird," she admitted. "How about this. I'll tell me about mine if you tell me about yours? I'm kind of curious; I want to know what I did in your dream."

His cheeks flushed, even as relief flooded him. "Yeah."

Her smile warmed and she touched his arm. He jumped, jolts of electricity snapping through his veins, as if she'd just shoved his finger in an electrical socket. She didn't respond, although her eyes widened a fraction. Lucy indicated a corner table. "I'll get us something to eat and drink. It'll just be us...I'm closing for the rest of today."

Natsu gave her a bright grin. "Okay," he said, delighted with the turn of events. He turned to make his way to the table she'd motioned to, then paused, looking back at her when she heard her muttering to herself.

"Snap out of it, Lucy," she hissed. He could just barely hear it. "That was just your imagination. You didn't give yourself a shock on the same guy a second time, and someone who's having dreams probably as weird as yours."

He snickered. _Weirdo,_ he threw at her silently before retreating to the corner table. It didn't take her long to rejoin him, her eyes wavering with uncertainty and determination as she set some sandwiches and two cups of coffee down on the table. "Thanks," Natsu muttered.

Lucy replied as she sat down, "No problem."

He knew he was watching her a little too much as she made herself comfortable. Intelligent onyx eyes watched her every move. The way she tapped her fingers one by one on the table as she settled in, how she fidgeted, how she tossed a blonde lock of hair over her shoulder and straightened as she opened her mouth to speak before closing it uncertainly. She didn't mind, he didn't think. She didn't respond, even if she noticed his staring.

Natsu was sure she was as fascinated with him as he was with her.

"So," she said suddenly. "Tell me. About your dreams."

Natsu hesitated, and then began. "It's just... there's not much that happens. I mean, I don't remember much to be honest. There's a lot of color. A lot of...a lot of gold. And I like that gold, I know I do. It means a lot. I've always liked gold, more than what's normal for most people, I think." He wrinkled his nose. "It's stupid, but it's true. I usually wake up and there's this...this horrible pain in my chest." He rested his fingers over his heart, digging them into his chest just barely. "Like I'm missing something. Like something's wrong. I can't figure out what it is. But it really, _really_ hurts when I wake up and I miss it so damn bad…" He trailed off. "It was worse than normal last night. I wasn't gonna do what Levy said and talk to you, but you showed up last night, so…"

"How so?" Lucy asked, thoughtful and surprisingly serious. Even Wendy hadn't paid him half as much attention as she was paying him.

He became flustered now. "I don't, uh, I don't want to say. It's nothing weird," he added hastily when Lucy's brows lifted. Natsu became even more flushed as she did so. "I swear, Lucy, it's nothing weird." And it wasn't. They'd not been doing anything dirty; only touched foreheads, but he didn't want to tell that to a woman he barely knew. "But when I woke up, it hurt so much worse than normal, I thought I'd stop in."

Lucy was staring at him, and it made Natsu incredibly uncomfortable - until she said hoarsely, "Smoke."

"Huh?" he said.

"I've always had a really abnormal love of the smell of smoke," Lucy repeated. "And not cigarette smoke, but the smoke you get from campfires and...and _warmth_." She sounded like she was going to cry, and Natsu felt horrible. Out of all of the things he wanted to do, making her cry wasn't even on the list. "But...I know how you feel. I woke up the other night from a dream about some person that...well, it felt wrong waking up without them." She tapped her chest. "It hurt me, too.

"It's really weird," she admitted, "that our dreams and reactions are so similar." She paused, thinking. He was relieved that someone else knew how he felt, even if he wished Lucy didn't hurt in the same way he did. They appeared to hold similar feelings over dreams they didn't understand, and the fact that they both had that heart-wrenching agony upon waking up, the tears… "But I don't have an explanation. For either of us."

Natsu shook his head, pink hair falling into his eyes. He didn't either, he realized, taking a bite of a sandwich. He set it aside, swiping crumbs from his hand. She looked pleased when he admitted aloud that the sandwiches were delicious.

"I'll talk with Levy some more," Lucy suddenly said, thoughtful. She sat back in her seat, studying him closely with serious brown eyes. "She seems to know more than what she's letting on, and if I threaten to take away her sandwiches...she'll spill." Lucy wiggled her fingers, indicating the sandwiches they'd been eating.

Natsu snickered, amused. He'd have spilled any information Lucy wanted if she'd threatened to ban _him_ from her bakery. She made delicious food. "She mentioned a talk at some university," he said suddenly. "Is it the local community one?"

Lucy nodded, furrowing her brow, and then grimaced. "I'll have to apologize to her...a fire caught in my bakery, as you can see," she paused to wave at the scorch marks on the wall nearby, "and I had to leave her with this guy who looked as if he'd rather be anywhere else. She's blind as you know. I guess it might help her now...the guy was terrifying." She shuddered.

Natsu's lips quirked. He had a feeling he knew who she'd come across. "Let me guess," Natsu drawled, sitting back and folding his arms across his chest. His eyes never left hers. "Piercings everywhere and he was cranky about every little thing?" She sputtered, startled that he'd guessed, and Natsu cackled like a deranged witch. "He's my cousin - Gajeel. Mentioned that someone was comin' in today to give a lecture." He went to touch something at his throat, and then paused, realizing it wasn't there. He furrowed his brow a little like Lucy had, confused. "Don't worry, he looks like a jerk and he acts like one sometimes, but he'll make sure she's taken care of."

Lucy sighed heavily in relief. "Thanks, Natsu." He shivered again. After a moment of comfortable silence, she smiled at him. "Want a cookie?"

Natsu nodded, watching as she got to her feet, grabbing the empty sandwich platter.

He liked Lucy...she was important, although he couldn't say why.

Perhaps she was even the most important woman he'd ever met.

* * *

 _Re-written as of July 26th, 2018!_


	11. Count On Me

**. Count on Me .**

* * *

" _You can count on me like one, two, three,_

 _I'll be there,_

 _And I know when I need it I can count on you like four, three, two,_

 _You'll be there._

' _Cause that's what friends are supposed to do."_

~ "Count on Me" by Bruno Mars

* * *

A few days after her interesting conversation with Natsu found Lucy boredly tapping a pen on the counter in front of her bakery's register. She pressed her lips together unhappily. She'd had plans with Levy for the day. A nice outing to a nearby park, since Levy didn't often go outside without someone to keep her company. Not because she didn't know where she was going, of course, but simply because she didn't feel the need.

But a younger employee had called in sick and no one had been able to fill in for the shift, so Lucy found herself taking over again and wondering if it was really worth keeping the untrustworthy employee. This was the umpteenth time they'd called in sick. Lucy had no doubt they really weren't.

Yep, Lucy decided with a groan, she'd be firing them. She'd send them a curt e-mail as soon as she got home to her lonely large apartment that evening. She checked the clock and fought the urge to show it a rude middle finger. She still had several hours before Lisanna showed up to take over or even help.

Lucy was just beginning to consider calling Levy to invite her over and chat - it was a rather slow day with very few people coming in and out - as she wrote out an order being given when the bells connected to the door rang. She didn't bother to glance up, thinking it was another customer as she called, "I'll be with you in a moment!"

"Wow, thanks, Lucy, been gone a whole damn year and you'll be with me in a moment?"

Lucy stopped dead, dropping her pencil as she snapped her head upright. Her eyes lit with joy at the familiar sight of the man who was grinning at her from just inside, hands shoved into his pockets and his black hair sticking up in every direction. "Gray!" she cried, abandoning what she was doing and darting around the back of the counter. She ran through the tables, ignoring curious stares, and slammed into him with a laugh. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him incredibly tight. "You're back!"

He cracked a grin, ruffling her blonde hair with a teasing glint in his black eyes. He didn't look any different from what she remembered, even had only one button on his button-up shirt undone. She was impressed. "Anything exciting happen?"

"You wouldn't believe," Lucy said in a deadpan voice, "just how much you missed. For one, my bakery almost burned down." He sputtered, and she found herself bouncing, giddy that her closest friend outside of Levy was back after his trip. She led him through the tables to one they always occupied when he came by. She'd deal with angry customers later, when they came over and demanded to be served. Gray looked amused as he flopped into the seat across from her.

She'd known Gray Fullbuster for many years, before she'd even known Levy, and she appreciated him more than he would ever know. He'd been there during rough times and she loved him like a brother. She'd missed him dearly while he'd been away for a year long trip to a mountainous area with his adopted brother. She couldn't remembering what he'd been up to in that time….mountain climbing? Something similar.

"Please tell me you're joking," Gray said regarding her comment about her bakery almost burning down.

"Nope. Lisanna isn't good with the toaster, but it's fine now." Lucy flashed him a blinding smile. "By the way, watch your shirt."

Gray's chin touched his chest as he looked down to check and see what she was talking about. He squawked, swore, and then swiftly re-buttoned his shirt. Lucy smirked; it was an odd habit of his and neither knew where it came from. Certainly not his adopted family, who were as unsure about it as he was. He'd had it as long as he could remember.

"Anything else been happening?" Gray asked, glancing at her as he settled back.

"Not much," she laughed. "Levy's been doing more out of the museum, which is really good for her. I took her to a lecture not too long ago...oh!" She became more serious, leaning in, and he copied. He braced his elbows and arms on the table, moving so he wasn't far from her. "It's weird, but I've been having these dreams…" She launched into an explanation, giving every detail she could think of. Gray, the good friend he was, didn't speak at all throughout her long-winded speech.

When she was done, however, he said quietly, "So let me get this straight, Lucy." He leaned in even further, and she sat back as he squinted at her. "You had these really weird dreams that made you so upset you cried and the first thing you thought to do about them wasn't to call me, or even explain in detail to Levy, but to turn to this complete stranger who was having weird dreams about _you_ and think it's a good idea?"

"Sounds about right," Lucy said with a shrug.

" _Lucy_."

"What? It helped. I haven't had any more dreams." Lucy waved off his worry. Her dark, puzzled eyes studied him for what he really thought. "I've been thinking about contacting him again. He left his number with me. And besides, he's different. Interesting. I like him."

Gray made a sound of disgust. "Don't get mushy on me."

She puffed up her cheeks in agitation and swatted at his face. "There's something about him that I can't put my finger on him. Something important - really important, Gray. Like there's something I don't know but it's a key fact that I _have_ to know." She looked him up and down from beneath her lashes. "Have you ever met someone like that?" All it took was Gray faltering, looking away, and she grinned almost maniacally. " _Talk_."

Casually, Gray looked out the window beside their table, tapping his fingers on the table's surface as he sat back. "You know how Lyon and I were out teaching some people rock climbing and stuff?" She nodded. "There was something strange about one of them. This girl...she seemed really...not odd, but it felt weird whenever I looked at her, I guess." He let out a low gust of air, thoughtful. "She felt the same. She was really confused, too, said she thought the same about me. We didn't talk much about it, but…"

Lucy studied him with a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "Interesting," she said after a moment. "So did you get her number?" Gray hastily pressed his lips together, a hint of a flush spreading across his face, and Lucy grinned widely. She'd known him long enough to simply _know_. "When's the date, Gray?" she teased.

* * *

They kept up like that for nearly an hour. Lucy eventually just closed the shop early, apologizing to the people who were grumpily glaring at her for not getting to their order. She promised them a free muffin if they came the next morning to order something, and that seemed to soothe bad tempers.

She and Gray simply hung out as evening began to fall, and she was caught surprise when the bells jingled, signaling that someone was entering the bakery. Both of them paused and looked over to discover none other than Natsu, standing hesitantly and awkwardly in the doorway with a young blue-haired girl clinging to his sleeve, smiling shyly at them. "Natsu!" Lucy called in friendly voice, waving. Lowering her voice, she muttered to her friend, "That's the guy I was telling you about, Gray."

Gray studied him with a nearly harsh look, scowling. Lucy didn't notice, instead waving him over. Natsu faltered before reluctantly striding over. The girl scampered alongside him, her brown eyes studying Lucy closely as Lucy smiled warmly and greeted in a friendly voice, "You must be Wendy. Natsu's told me about you. Natsu, Wendy, this is my good friend Gray Fullbuster."

"It's nice to meet you," Wendy said shyly, fiddling with her fingers as Gray flashed her a grin and another look at Natsu. She hesitated, and then said hastily, "Do you want us to leave? The shop door said closed, but Natsu said it'd be okay if we came in anyways-"

"You don't have to leave," Lucy replied firmly. "You're welcome to hang out if you'd like. I'll get you something to eat. What do you want to munch on, Wendy?"

Wendy thought it over and then voiced what she wanted. Lucy nodded her approval before climbing to her feet, waving for Natsu to join her, much to Gray's annoyance and the pink-haired man's wariness. He looked reluctant to leave Wendy alone with Gray until Lucy said casually, "He's not going to eat her, Natsu. Gray's fine."

Huffing, Natsu trailed after her as she turned and headed for the kitchen. He caught up to her after a few seconds and when he had, Natsu said grouchily, "Why is he looking at me like that?" Lucy glanced at him, confused. "Like I'm the scum of the earth or something."

"Gray and I've known each other for ages," Lucy said with a shrug. "I told him we've been chatting lately and he's just suspicious because he doesn't trust very easily. Don't worry, he won't go after you or anything." She patted Natsu's arm comfortingly and he blinked at the sensation. She ignored the jolt that raced through her when she did. She wasn't even touching _skin_ , she thought grouchily, getting to work. She loaded up a large plate with a variety of snacks, and she grinned when she caught Natsu licking his lips excitedly. He was quite fond of her food, something Lucy was quite proud of. "So what are you two doing here?"

Natsu glanced up and said, "We're waiting on Gajeel to finish an exam so we can head to the store and then to the museum. Levy must have liked him, 'cause she offered a free private tour to the three of us." Lucy looked up, surprised. Levy had liked the terrifying man that Lucy had abandoned her to? Levy hadn't said a word about him since then, other than a quick "He was fine." Natsu cocked his head. "Are you going to be there?"

"Levy didn't mention it," Lucy admitted, "but I'll probably show up." She cocked her head in thought. "I want to thank Gajeel for helping Levy, and Levy's in the middle of some research, which means that I have to bring her some dinner, so...yeah, I'll be there more than likely."

Natsu lit up in excitement, his face bright with happiness. "Great!" He said a little to happily, earning a laugh from Lucy.

From where they were sitting, eavesdropping on the somewhat loud conversation, Gray narrowed his eyes at Natsu and then looked over when Wendy whispered, sounding shockingly hopeful, "He's never been on a date before. I hope he doesn't mess up."

Gray lifted a brow. "I didn't hear a single 'date' in all of the words they just said." He leaned back, looking somewhat nervous suddenly. Lucy wasn't careful when it came to meeting people, trusting some far too quickly. He just hoped that she didn't suffer because of it.

Suddenly, Wendy gasped. He looked over, finding her staring at him in utter terror. "What?" he huffed, and she sputtered, waving at him, slapping her hands over her eyes.

Gray looked down and squawked, hastily re-buttoning his shirt.

* * *

 _Re-written as of August 1, 2018!_


	12. Hello

**. Hello .**

* * *

" _Hello, can you hear me?_

 _I'm in California dreaming about who we used to be,_

 _When we were younger and free._

 _I've forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet._

 _There's such a difference between us,_

 _And a million miles."_

~ "Hello" by Adele

* * *

Levy couldn't see anything or anyone around her, but it didn't really matter all that much. She could hear and simply _feel_ plenty, including Lucy, who was standing nervously beside her. Lucy had informed her that she'd be joining in on Levy's tour of the museum, and Levy's lips had quirked playfully when she'd heard Lucy mention that she'd been invited along by Natsu. He _liked_ her, and Levy was pleased, if not a little jealous.

Levy could hear the rustling of clothes as Lucy shifted her weight. She could imagine her friend running a hand through her golden hair with a grimace as Lucy said quietly, "Should I feel bad for denying an evening of alcohol and celebration with Gray because I wanted to come along on this tour that I've taken several times already, Levy?"

Levy snorted softly, reaching out and feeling momentarily until she found Lucy's arm. She patted it comfortingly. "No," she said confidently. "You shouldn't, Lucy. Didn't you tell him you'd visit tomorrow? Besides." She smirked, rocking forward so that she leaned heavily on the cane that was grasped tightly in her fingers. "You know you're excited to see Mr. Dragneel again."

Lucy fell silent, still shuffling about, but then she said, "We're acquaintances. Almost friends. Nothing more, nothing less." She shifted _again_ and Levy wanted to shake her and yell at her to hold still. "Thanks for giving him my number and whatnot, by the way. It's helped with the dreams. Talking about them, I mean. It's weird, but they've gotten better since we met."

Levy turned her face away, saying nothing as she frowned and fought the urge to snap at her friend. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair, _it wasn't fair_ -

And then a voice suddenly filled the air, a mocking call from a voice she knew better than her own. "You look more like a shrimp than usual."

Levy's head snapped in the direction of the call, her face lighting up as her lips slid into a pout. "I can't see you, but I can guarantee from the way your voice echoes that you're some kind of monstrously tall creature," she retorted, her face tipped in the direction of the very man her attentions were often upon. Lucy laughed, moving again. Levy could hear Natsu and another voice - Wendy.

Levy's heart twisted near painfully.

Lucy suddenly cleared her throat, interrupting whatever second insult Gajeel intended to throw at Levy. "Thank you," came Lucy's honest yet confident voice, "for helping Levy when I had to leave her at the university the other day. I truly appreciate it, and I'm eternally grateful that you made sure she was alright after she gave her talk as well."

Knowing Lucy meant well, Levy sighed in exasperation. "Lucy, I can thank people myself, you know."

"I know, but I wanted to thank him, too."

Levy's lips quirked when Gajeel suddenly awkwardly coughed. Wendy giggled and Natsu snickered nearby. "Uh...sure, no problem." Levy could picture the flustered look on his face, the red that crossed over his nose and cheekbones. Her lips pressed together. For the first time in a while, Levy wished that she hadn't destroyed her own eyesight years ago. She wished desperately that she could have seen Gajeel.

"Hey, Luce," said Natsu suddenly. Levy heard his feet on the hard floor of the museum as he moved around his cousins to stand before the blonde. Gajeel snorted. "Long time, no see."

Lucy copied Gajeel's amused snort. "Right. I saw you like five hours ago, didn't I?" Levy flashed a quick smile, amused with her friend's attitude. "And don't worry, I brought dinner and cookies for everyone. I didn't know what you'd like," she added to someone - Gajeel, Levy supposed. "I brought you the same as Natsu if that's okay?"

"I eat anything," said Gajeel, confirming Levy's suspicions. "Thanks."

"Why don't you hand out the sandwiches?" Levy suggested, her own stomach rumbling eagerly at the thought of food and drawing a blush to Levy's cheeks. Not that anyone would see it with the sash tied around her eyes to protect them from harsh stares. She elbowed Lucy playfully. "Then we can get this tour on the road."

Before long, the group of five were making their way through the museum. Lucy had handed out sandwiches before they'd started, so the start of it was fairly quiet, filled only with the sound of people chowing down on a sandwich. Levy led the way, her cane clacking this way and that as she used it to guide herself, ignoring Lucy's silent offer of assistance.

As she listened to her friend and the three cousins chattering amongst themselves, stopping whenever she offered information, Levy's heart tightened with pain again. She nearly burst into tears when Wendy suddenly expressed particular interest in a ratty pink bow that had somehow survived the centuries, claiming it would look cute on her cat, as well as when Natsu found the scarf again.

It was a normal thing for her. Levy always felt like crying. More so lately than ever before. She had always, always, _always_ struggled with what she knew and what no one else seemed to know. What everyone who came through her museum and commented on various antiques, but couldn't understand why they were so attracted to those antiques. The tall presence pacing quietly just a step behind on her left made her want to burst into hysterical sobs.

She'd known for so, so long, the truth of everything. She'd imagined a thousand scenarios in which she'd be able to confront him, the one beside her. But this...she hadn't imagined this. She had remembered everything they didn't and couldn't remember and the differences in them and the people she remembered….

It broke her heart.

She wanted to go back.

She wanted to go _home_ , where people remembered what she remembered, felt as she felt, loved her as she loved them. Instead, she found herself trapped in a world where she was blind and helpless and only Lucy knew her, where everyone she loved fiercely could care less about who she was or what she felt.

But, despite all of that, Levy said nothing. She chose to keep her mouth shut. To speak about her pain and suffering would only bewilder and confuse and upset them. They would figure it out eventually, she hoped. Lucy and Natsu's dreams had given her far more hope than she'd ver had. But...as they figured it out, it kept her at a distance, and it hurt her to know what she knew when they didn't. It was that pain that made her reluctant to openly flirt as she wanted to with Gajeel, who didn't seem to mind the idea. Because flirting brought those differences into her mind along with the memory of what they had been, once upon a time-

"The fuck?" Gajeel said suddenly, his voice full of horror. "Why the hell are you crying, shrimp?"

Horror flooded her and Levy flushed, touching the sash. It was damp - no, it was soaked through. "Oh! I didn't even realize…" She scowled, pretending to be merely inconvenienced. "I apologize, I don't have any working nerves around my eyes...damage and all that _fantastic_ stuff." She and the rest of the group stopped as she rested her cane against her leg, instinctively reaching up to untie the sash and dab the tears away. Lucy knew what she looked like and didn't mind, and Levy knew he wouldn't mind at all because he'd always had scars, too-

She froze, fingers on the knot as Lucy called her name, shocked that she'd even consider taking it off in front of three practical strangers.

This wasn't _him_ , Levy remembered again. This man barely knew her, barely knew who she was, and-

"Levy," Lucy repeated, voice low and near her ear. A hand touched her shoulder.

"I'm...I'm fine," Levy asid, clearly not. Her voice shook violently. "I forgot that people don't like my scars," she added to the trio watching her curiously. "Usually it's just us, you know? Forgive me."

Natsu was the one to speak first. "Don't worry, we don't mind scars. Gajeel's covered in 'em. Dunno how he still looks human, to be honest - _ow_!" Gajeel hissed at him to shut up and Levy supposed he'd smacked him or something similar. "We've got plenty of scars between all of us. I've got some nasty ones, too. You'll fit right in, Levy!"

Appreciating the attempt, yet startled, Levy could only give a high-pitched laugh. "No one likes mine," she said dismissively. "Lucy cries whenever she sees them." Lucy protested, but Levy ignored her friend and instead checked her eye-cover to ensure it was in place. "I'll leave it for now and change it out later." She waved off everyone's concern, determined to move on before people started asking questions. "Shall we continue? There's some cool dragon carvings. They're made of iron. I thought you'd like them," she added to Gajeel with a smile, although her lips trembled.

Lucy faltered, but Gajeel, as if sensing that staying on the subject for much longer would break her, said in a rather curt tone that wasn't at all meant for Levy, "Yeah. I wanna see 'em."

Levy nearly missed it, but heard Natsu mutter in a quiet voice to Wendy behind her, "He's like an entirely new person. It's gonna pile up and when we get home, we're screwed."

Wendy's giggles drove away the negativity in Levy's mind and reminded her of something she often times forgot: she needed to live in the here and now, and she reminded herself that there was nothing she could do to change her situation. The past was the past - even if it was where Levy longed to be.

* * *

Gajeel couldn't honestly say why he'd taken such a shine to Levy McGarden. He'd spoken with her twice now. Once at the university, while walking her to and from her talk, ensuring that she reached safety despite her determination to do it on her own. The second time had been moments before, on the private tour she'd invited them to. She'd waved after them, standing beside Lucy, and he'd admittedly been reluctant to leave her there like that. There was something about her…

Something that had made him turn back, storm up the steps that led to the museum, and ask quite bluntly, _"Can I show you something sometime?"_

He couldn't forget the way she'd smiled brightly, delighted despite the distinct sadness still coiling around her. _"Of course. When and where?"_

Now he had a somewhat date that both Natsu and Wendy were aware of, and it frustrated him that they were, although he couldn't say he wasn't looking forward to seeing Levy again. He fully intended to take her to a park that he often times visited alone. It held a beautiful piece of metalwork that had been gifted to the park by his father.

As he drove Wendy and himself back to the house the three of them shared - Natsu had stayed behind to help Lucy and Levy with something, eagerly offering his help when Lucy had brought up the fact that they still needed to move a bunch of things - Gajeel found himself thinking about the strange feeling that sometimes crept beneath his skin. It hadn't shown up in some time. Not since his father's death.

But it had started creeping underneath his defenses again, ever since he'd met Levy.

Whatever it was, it made Gajeel jumpy - made him shy when he usually laughed at the way other people acted when it came to dating. He couldn't give a good enough reason as to why he was feeling this strange sensation when he was around the woman, who he admittedly barely knew. It made him want to slam his head against a wall and demand to know what he'd come down with. Metalicana would have known.

Metalicana had always known.

His father had worn that knowing look as he'd gazed down sorrowfully at his son. He'd worn that look on the days when he'd turned his back on the pain his son suffered at the hands of his "friends," on the days when he'd apologized for nothing Gajeel could understand.

It was the same knowing look that Levy held, a look that he could see without so much as a glimpse of her eyes. It was the feeling she gave off consistently, as if she knew more than what she was telling. It was what had originally drawn him to her, in those first few moments he'd spoken with her. Alongside her attitude and no bullshit personality, of course.

He thought about all of this as he drove, not noticing that Wendy was watching him. It wasn't until she spoke that he even remembered she was in the car.

"Natsu's got a girlfriend."

Lifting a pierced brow, Gajeel glimpsed her way. He noted how her dark eyes shone with mischief, which meant this was something Natsu didn't want Gajeel to know. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, he invited her to our tour," Wendy told him with a smirk.

"Wait," Gajeel said, sitting up a bit more and nearly jerking the wheel. " _Bunny girl?_ " The blonde with the food? _Seriously_? Gajeel was stunned. She was everything his cousin wasn't. Of course, he'd noticed that Lucy and Natsu had been quite animated when speaking, rarely taking their eyes off of one another, but…

"Lucy," Wendy said confidently. "Why do you think he stayed behind? I bet he'll go to her bakery after they're done. He's been going almost every day lately."

Gajeel gaped.

 _When the hell did she get so nosey?_

* * *

 _Re-written as of August 2nd, 2018!_


	13. First Night

**. First Night .**

* * *

" _I'm searching your eyes._

 _Have I seen you somewhere?_

 _You're filling my thoughts with a strange intrigue._

…

 _Tell me your name, what your persuasion?_

 _Your first impression of this whole occasion."_

~ "First Night" by Survivor

* * *

A few days after the tour with Levy at the museum - about which Lucy had tried to speak with Levy, although her friend was being stubborn and refusing to discuss what had happened. Levy so rarely cried that much, or even acted like that… And then there were the dreams. Not the ones about what she thought might be Natsu. No, these dreams were far worse.

And from where he watched in his seat across the chair from her, Gray narrowed his eyes and studied her as she took a sip of her tea. She had no doubts in her mind that he knew. He confirmed her thoughts when he cleared his throat and said, "You didn't sleep well last night."

"No," she admitted, flushing. She took a deep breath and then said, "I...I dreamt of my mother last night."

Gray grimaced sympathetically and looked out the window of the bakery, thinking. It had begun to snow lightly, although it was quickly picking up. Lucy had been working and eager to enjoy some of her company, he'd offered to come in for a lunch. Lunch was quickly becoming a possible sleep over at the bakery, however, for as they sat across from one another at their table with empty plates in front of them and mugs of tea in their hands, the snow was quickly turning into a blizzard. Lucy had all ready closed the bakery early. Sipping at his drink, he said, "The usual?"

She nodded curtly. Lucy had dreamt of her mother for years, always experiencing her death over and over each time the dream came around. It was rare that she so much as came out of her bed on those days. But she'd had no choice that day. The bakery was one employee short, meaning she needed to take the leftover shift, and the possibility of Natsu stopping by had drawn her out. She'd been surprised by that last thought.

"Sorry," Gray said gently. "I know how much they suck, Lucy."

"Thanks," Lucy replied, taking a deep breath and letting it out. She wanted the weird dreams she shared with Natsu far more than she'd ever want to dream of her mother. At least the weird dreams made her heart ache in a way that didn't threaten to smother her soul.

They sat there in comfortable silence for a couple minutes - silence that was interrupted when Gray's phone went off. He checked it, and Lucy arched a brow at him when he grinned, immediately responding to the text he'd received. "Who's that?" A pause, and then Lucy was grinning broadly. "No, wait, is that Juvia?" she asked excitedly, leaning over the table to try and see.

Gray held his phone away from her viewing, flustered. " _No_."

"Liar!" Lucy beamed at him, her eyes dancing with excited amusement. "Are you guys going on another date, Gray?"

Giving her a half-hearted glare, Gray muttered, "Yeah. Next week on Tuesday. We're heading to Hargeon for the day. She said she'd never been and I wanted to show her the older parts of the port, where Lyon works." Lucy's eyes grew round with surprise and he said hastily, "There's no way in hell I'm letting them anywhere near each other. He'll try to flirt with her and stuff. He likes her. He met her on our trip."

Lucy laughed, but reassured him. "I doubt he could flirt her away from you even if he tried. Tell him I say hi if you run into him though, would you?"

"No promises," Gray said. He reached over to prod gently at her. "What about you? Are you meeting with that pink-haired idiot again anytime soon?"

"Be nice," Lucy scolded. She tapped her chin after setting aside her now empty mug, looking out the window. "His name is Natsu, and I don't know. Probably, because I'd really like to. There's something about him. I really can't say what it is, but I feel like I absolutely need him around me recently. It's really weird."

"Tell me about it," Gray said, lifting his mugs to his lips. Lucy looked at him curiously. "That's how I feel about Juvia whenever I see her."

Lucy opened her mouth to say something in response but was interrupted when there was a sudden flurry of snow as the door to the shop clanged open and slammed shut. She was somehow surprised to see Natsu standing there, hood tugged over his hood. His onyx eyes were wide, his face flushed with the cold. Gray snorted at the sight of the man, not pleased to see him. "Natsu!" Lucy called in a friendly voice, smiling. She then frowned at Gray. "What?"

"I don't like him," Gray muttered grouchily, making a face.

"Sorry for busting in," Natsu said as he strode over fearlessly to join them, completely ignoring Gray with a small scowl on his face. He pushed his hood back and raked a hand through his pink hair. "Dunno where that snow came from…"

Lucy sent him a warm smile. "No worries," she said, indicating that he could take her seat. "Let me get you something warm to drink, it's pretty nasty out there…"

Within minutes, Natsu had a nice cup of hot chocolate set before him along with some sandwiches on a platter that they were all allowed to take from. Lucy had quickly returned to the table with both, seating herself next to Gray rather than beside Natsu. Neither of the men had said anything to one another in the time that she'd been gone.

"So what are you doing out and about?" Lucy asked, nibbling at the crust of one of the sandwiches.

"Well, I _was_ heading to the courthouse. Need to see a lawyer about some will stuff." Natsu wrinkled his nose. "Wendy, Gajeel, and I all live together, but the house is still under Gajeel's name from before I turned old enough to take it for myself. When he had custody of me and Wendy. It used to belong to my dad, and I want to have it now. Not that I'm gonna kick the jerk out or anything, but...it was my dad's house. He grew up in it. I want it to be mine, too."

Lucy smiled warmly. "I'm sure you'll be able to get it. If you need some help, just let me know. Gray's sister Ultear is a lawyer."

Gray scowled at her. "Don't bring me into this," he said grouchily.

"Oh, hush," she scolded before jumping in surprise and shock when the door suddenly flew open again, and a woman none of them new burst in, bringing icy winds and snow with her. She struggled to shut the door again against the wind and Natsu sprang to his feet, darting over to help. When the door was shut, the woman gasped, heaving for breath, "Thank you!" She turned to offer Natsu a quick smile. Confusion shot across her face, but she turned to look at the others as well, flushing. "Forgive me," she said, grimacing. "I was caught up in the storm and assumed the bakery was open. This _is_ Heartfilia Bakery, yes? I was trying to find it."

"Oh!" Lucy flushed, smiling sheepishly. "Yes. This is the Heartfilia Bakery, and you're perfectly welcome to hang here until the storm dies down. I'm Lucy Heartfilia, the owner, and these are my friends Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster."

The woman looked relieved. "Erza Scarlet," she said, suddenly furrowing her brow. She turned to stare at Natsu, who looked uncomfortable beneath her scrutinizing look. "Forgive me," she repeated, "But...this may seem rude, and I apologize if it is, but...do I know you from somewhere?"

"...no?" Natsu said in confusion.

"Oh," Erza muttered. And then she rounded on the other two in the shop. "And you, have I seen either of you before?"

Lucy was admittedly shocked by Erza's sudden demand. "Not that I am aware of," she said slowly. "Sorry. What about you, Gray?" She turned to look at Gray, who she discovered was staring at Erza as if she had two heads. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates, his mug hanging in the air before his mouth. "Gray?" Lucy tried again and then jumped in shock when Gray slammed his mug down so hard that tea sloshed over the sides, spilling onto the table. He shoved himself to his feet, nearly knocking Lucy off of her chair. She squawked and he caught her chair quickly, face white as he said hoarsely, sweat dotting his forehead, "I have to leave."

"Gray?" Lucy said, rising to her feet as he yanked his thick coat on. "Gray, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I…" He paused to look at Lucy. His gaze flickered with confusion followed by horror and fear and Lucy immediately reached for his wrist to stop him, desperately worried. Gray Fullbuster was _never_ scared. He'd been the one to hold her hand when they were younger and she'd been terrified of shapes hidden in the dark, and if someone he didn't think was trustworthy hda come around, he'd put himself between she and the other. He'd always been the brave one.

So why was he so frightened now?

Before Lucy could grab him, he ripped away and nearly fled the bakery, slamming the door so hard behind him Lucy thought the glass would shatter. Flustered and confused, Lucy waved over Natsu and Erza, saying, "Sorry about that, I don't know what happened there...I hope he's okay out there...please, you can join Natsu and I until the storm dies down. Do you want some tea, Erza? I'll get you something to eat, too. What do you like?"

"Strawberry cake, if it's not too much to ask," Erza said as she strode over, looking somewhat embarrassed by her admission. "And it's alright, we all have our moments, I suppose. Please, I'll clean up the mess while you get everything," she offered, waving at the mess that was Gray's mug.

"Thanks," Lucy said, starting for the kitchen. "Natsu, grab her some napkins, would you?" She threw him the warmest of smiles as she left the main dining area of the bakery.

Erza chuckled when she saw the way Natsu watched after her, not missing a single sliver of the adoration he wore on his face.

* * *

As Gray pushed his way through the nasty snow and wind that was coating the world outside in a mass of white, names echoed through his head.

 _Natsu. Erza. Juvia. Lucy. Gajeel. Wendy. Lyon. Ur. Ultear. Levy._

He swiped snow from his eyes with numb fingers, the names repeating again and again. He'd heard them all in this weird world, mentioning them himself since he'd come back from the mountains with his brother. He squinted through the snow, seeing what he was aiming for after ten minutes of walking, and hurried forward, eager to get inside.

He burst through the museum doors, ignoring the female security guard who immediately rose to her feet, alarmed after not expecting anyone to come in. His eyes narrowed at her when she said, "Can...can I help you, sir?"

He barely heard her. He was too busy remembering things that had happened in the past...but they hadn't happened at the same time...but they had? He was confused as hell, and he had seen Levy enough in this place, the way she'd looked sad even with a sash wrapped around her eyes, to know that she knew what he knew. "I need to visit with Levy McGarden," he rasped. "Is she here?"

"Miss McGarden's in her office," she said nervously. "Please, follow me."

Gray did, following the security guard through the museum. He faltered every now and then, noticing a few things in display cases that he viewed with a new light. His hands shook when he saw a tattered flag, displaying a symbol that had once rested over his heart.

"Miss McGarden?" the security woman called as she knocked on Levy's office door. "You have a visitor. One…" She looked to Gray.

"Gray. Gray Fullbuster."

"Gray Fullbuster," she echoed, looking back to the door.

"Let him in!" called Levy, voice muffled by the heavy wooden door. When the woman opened the door, Gray stepped past her, and closed the door behind him. He stood there for a second, listening to her leave, with his back to the door and his eyes on Levy. She'd been in a spinning computer chair and she now turned her face towards him, reaching for her cane. "Hello, Gray. What can I do for you? I haven't seen you in a while, Lucy said you were in the mountains-"

"Cut the shit, Levy." His eyes flashed, anger suddenly shooting through him. Levy's lips parted in surprise. "What the hell's going on? Why am I- I don't understand, what the hell is this world without magic? Why can I-" He was so confused, he couldn't even form his thoughts. Yet Levy knew. She understood his confusion. She'd felt it herself growing up.

Quiet, her face a mask of resigned acceptance and surprise even with her eyes hidden by cloth, she murmured, "...you remember." She was in awe. "I didn't think anyone else would. Natsu and Lucy, maybe, with those dreams, but…"

"I don't understand." His voice broke, tears gathering, and he felt ashamed for acting like a young child. "Why do I remember a completely different life? I remember the guild. I remember the war, everything. But I grew up _here_. I remember _here_."

"Sit," Levy ordered. She gestured to a seat shoved against a wall. Gray did so, dropping heavily into the chair. "When did it start? When did you remember?" She paused, and then sked, "Why'd you think I'd remember?"

"The museum has our things in it, of course you'd remember if you're working here," Gray said rather sharply. He pushed a shaking hand through his black hair. "Lucy and I were having lunch together at her bakery and then Natsu showed up because of the blizzard. And then Erza stepped in, and I just...it smacked me in the face. One moment, I'm fine, the next there's this whole other life. I don't understand. I can't figure out what's me and what's...not me." He couldn't explain it, couldn't figure it out. "What do I _do_?"

Levy smiled kindly and leaned back in her chair, setting aside her cane. "They're both you, Gray, it's just that one's a past life. We were reincarnated. You'll have to figure out the memories on your own, but for the most part...I just push on as I normally do. I would try and do the same. Have you met anyone else? I found Wendy and Gajeel, they're living with Natsu."

He clenched his jaw, mind flashing to those who he had been around. "Ur. Ultear. Lyon. Juvia...shit. Juvia." He ran a hand down his face. "I found Juvia by accident. We have a date coming up."

"Good. Try not to scare Juvia, okay? She doesn't remember and nor does anyone else. That's another thing...try not to shove your memories on them. Let them just enjoy their lives."

Gray snorted. In other words, don't whack them over the head with the pan of truth. "How long have you remembered?"

Levy's lips quirked as she played with a lock of blue hair, considering where to start.

* * *

 _Rewritten as of August 14th!_

* * *

 _All caught up! Now for the new chapters. ;)_


	14. Go the Distance

**. Go the Distance .**

* * *

" _I have often dreamed of a far off place,_

 _Where a hero's welcome would be waiting for me._

 _Where the crowds would cheer, when they see my face,_

 _And a voice keeps saying this is where I'm meant to be."_

~ "Go the Distance" by Michael Bolton, from Disney's _Hercules_

* * *

Natsu awoke from his dream with a hysterical cry. He was upright in an instant, his face streaked with tears and his heart aching and racing so painfully that he pressed a curled fist over his chest. He could hear in the room beside his as Wendy stirred, but didn't wake. Swearing under his breath because he didn't want to wake up his young cousin, he clenched his jaw and cried silently.

He hated crying. He didn't do it often. He'd not really cried since the loss of Igneel, although sometimes the memories would bring tears to his eyes. The only time he remembered crying as hard as he had at Igneel's funeral had been when Gajeel had shown up and informed him that they'd be living together, because he'd hated that place the social workers had put him more than anything else.

But he let himself cry, simply because he didn't really think he had a choice.

He could remember the group that had been around him. Some faces had been clearer than others, and there had been a few of the clearer ones that he'd nearly been able to see entirely, but hadn't succeeded when he'd tried to squint at them. They'd all been warm and welcoming, and he could practically feel the love that had radiated off of each and every one of them for him. Most of it had come from one person in particular, the one whose face was clearest yet still hidden.

He knew he was loved. By Wendy and Gajeel, maybe even by Lucy in a friendly manner by this point. Even Happy in his weird cat way. But not like that. Not even Igneel had given him that kind of love and feeling. And Igneel had loved him fiercely.

Scrubbing at his eye, free hand stroking the sleepy cat in his bed, Natsu checked his phone for the time. "Fuck," he huffed. It was only 2:30 a.m. He couldn't call Lucy, who'd reassured him that she was more than happy to talk to him whenever he wanted. She'd said that, but he knew she had an early start with the bakery the next morning, and he wouldn't force her to.

Yet…

Natsu touched his chest again and then finally took a deep breath before grabbing his phone. He dialed Lucy's number, aware that his eyes were still leaking tears. Natsu put the phone to his ear and patiently waited as the call rang and rang and rang and rang-

"Hello?" a very sleepy Lucy Heartfilia answered suddenly. Her voice was low and thick with sleep. For some reason, Natsu found that it sent chills down his spine; he liked the sound of her voice, with or without that tone, but something about the huskiness made him want to whimper.

"Lucy," Natsu rasped hoarsely, voice thick with emotion.

"Natsu?" she replied, voice sounding a little clearer. He heard rustling as she sat up, a yawn escaping her. "What's up? It's, like, two in the morning."

"Sorry," he said immediately, guilty. "I should have waited-"

Lucy snorted softly. "No, no, you're always fine to call me." Maybe they'd not known each other long, but Natsu felt the same. "What's up?" she repeated, yawning again.

His lips trembled. Biting back another sob because _damn it_ , he didn't want to sound like a baby in front of her, he choked out, "Dream. I had...I had another dream, and...it wasn't bad or anything, but it was too good. I didn't want to wake up. It _hurts_. In my chest. Badly." He'd never been so forward with his pain, crying and suffering for loss and other such things when he was in the privacy of his room. He'd never gone to Gajeel for comfort when he'd come to save he and Wendy from the homes. Not even Wendy had seen him cry.

But there was just _something_ about Lucy that reassured him. Something that told him she wouldn't mind his tears and wouldn't think any less of him.

"Oh, Natsu," Lucy said softly, her voice sympathetic. "Tell me about it. Your dream, I mean. Tell me about your dream."

So he did. Natsu explained in detail about everything that had happened, about the faces that were both unclear and clear. The love that had come from all of them and that one person in particular. How that one person had smelled of starlight, although he wasn't entirely sure of how that was possible. He remembered the dream he'd had the night he'd called Levy for the first time and remembered the same smell. It was one person, and he included that in his explanation, too.

When he was done, Lucy said gently, "I'm sorry. I know it hurts. I've had dreams like that, too, more often than not recently." She paused, as if thinking everything over, and then added quietly, "You know what helps me? I go and read a book. It lets me think of anything else but what hurts."

Natsu glanced at his sparsely filled bookshelf. It only really held books from his childhood, given to him by Igneel, and one or two novels that Wendy had insisted he'd like. "I'm...I'm not a big reader."

"We'll fix that," she decided firmly, sounding excited by the idea. "Tomorrow, I'll take you to the bookstore. We'll find you some new books that we're sure you'll like. We'll invite Wendy along. I bet she can help us. Since it's Saturday."

Natsu nodded slowly even though she couldn't see it. "Okay," he agreed aloud. "That sounds good."

"Good. Now, I need to let you go so that I can go back to sleep and not be cranky when we meet up. Does ten sound good? We'll meet at my bakery so I can make sure the employees know that I'm not going to be in."

"Yeah. I'll bring Wendy." He let out a large gust of air. "Thanks, Lucy."

"Of course. Let's just make it so we don't make habits of talking at two in the morning, okay? I don't know about you, but I like my sleep."

She hung up after that, and Natsu ran a hand down his smiling face, shaking his head.

Lucy was most certainly something else.

* * *

Ten o'clock in the morning found Natsu ducking into the Heartfilia Bakery with his cousin. Wendy was bouncing cheerfully, grateful that it was Saturday and that he had invited her to join him and Lucy at the bookstore. Mostly because she was excited that he was finally doing something other than watching TV or playing video games.

And he'd promised to buy her something from the bakery.

"Natsu!" Lucy cheerfully called from behind the counter, wearing a black apron. She whisked around the counter. "I'll be ready to go in a sec. Do you two want anything before we go?"

"Two of your daily special muffins," Natsu said, immediately grinning broadly at the woman. Wendy giggled at the way he lit up, excited to see her. "And we'll wait over at the table you and I usually sit at."

"Sounds good. Give me a minute." She winked and then was heading into the back.

Natsu and Wendy meandered over to sit at the table he'd mentioned, and when they had, they leaned back in their chairs, both watching everyone else. Neither minded waiting; the bakery was a comforting place to hang out in, with calm customers who didn't cause any problems. "I like Lucy," Wendy said suddenly, speaking low so only her cousin could hear her. "She's really nice, Natsu."

"I know. I like Lucy, too," he agreed readily and then threw Wendy a glare when she giggled at him. "Don't start, Wendy."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Natsu," Wendy said wisely and then beamed and waved. Natsu followed her gaze and grinned himself when he saw Lucy approaching. She held a muffin in each hand and a pleasant smile on her face. "Hi, Lucy!"

"Hi, Wendy." Lucy handed each of them a muffin. "Ready to go?"

"Yep!" Wendy hopped to her feet, bouncing up and down in excitement. "And thank you for the muffin."

"No problem," Lucy replied and then waved off Natsu when he reached for his wallet. "They're on the house, Natsu. My treat. Come on." Her dark eyes twinkled as she shouldered her purse, meeting his gaze. He felt something tug in the back of his mind as she beamed at him, as if he should have remembered something he wasn't remembering. "Let's go shop for books. I'll drive."

"Thank goodness," Wendy groaned, looking beyond relieved at the prospect of Lucy's driving. Natsu sputtered, a little insulted, but Lucy only winked at them both and sauntered her way out of the Heartfilia Bakery, gesturing for them to follow suit.

The day was incredibly fun, and though Natsu had never been a very big fan of books or shopping for them. He'd never understood why Wendy had so much fun going to bookstores and browsing the shelves for hours on end. He still didn't understand the desire. But he found that he could have watched Lucy browse those bookshelves, muttering under her breath, for hours. She looked as if she loved those shelves of books more than her bakery, and Natsu found himself curious as to why.

So when he awoke the next night with that same heart-wrenching pain, Natsu reached out for one of the books Lucy had gifted him and ran his fingers over the spine as he checked the time. He pressed his lips together at the sight of the clock. _Three-twenty-four in the morning,_ he mused.

He gently opened the book to the first page and began to read.

* * *

By the end of the week, Natsu found he wasn't doing well. He'd not slept in over twenty-four hours, too scared to do so. He couldn't deal with the pain that the dreams brought him anymore. He'd avoided Lucy for the past two days despite her questioning if he was up for coming to visit the bakery - her treat, as always - simply because he didn't want to upset her with the fact that the reading had done nothing for him. Natsu would have gone to the museum, which seemed to comfort him for some reason, but he knew Lucy frequented there, too.

Which was why Natsu found himself leaning against a tree despite the surprisingly frigid air. It was still fall, so he questioned why it was that cold, but he didn't mind. The brisk sharpness kept him awake. Hunching his shoulders against the chill so that the fur-lined hood on his coat brushed his cheeks, Natsu scanned the empty park with tired eyes - and proceeded to jump in surprise when a voice barked, "Hey! Natsu!"

He cranked his head over his shoulder and blinked, startled to see Gray Fullbuster striding through the snow, adjusting the collar of his coat. Out of all the people Natsu had been expecting to find him, Gray Fullbuster was last on the list. No, scratch that, he wasn't even _on_ the list of people Natsu expected to come after him. Observant despite his exhaustion, Natsu noticed the creases in Gray's face. He was shocked. Gray was just as tired and sleep-deprived as he was.

"Hi," Natsu said warily, not sure of what to say to the man who'd decided to join him. He'd only spoken with him once or twice, and that was with Lucy there as a buffer. For some reason, he didn't truly mind Gray's presence, although he put on the front of otherwise. "What do you want?"

Gray narrowed his eyes. "You upset Lucy, so I'd really like to punch you, actually, but that'll upset her more, so I won't."

Natsu grimaced. "She told you then." A statement, not a question. He'd been told that Gray was Lucy's best friend before even Levy had shown up. He hunched his shoulders further and cleared his throat. "Other than wanting to punch me then."

"Why are you avoiding her?" Gray clearly wasn't going anywhere until he answered. The dark-haired man stood beside Natsu with a comfortable look on his face, not minding the cold at all. "She likes you, you know. Dunno if she really likes you, but she considers you a fairly good friend. And that's hard to do with Lucy. With her family and all."

Natsu frowned, glancing at him. "What's with her family?"

"You've never heard of the Heartfilias?" Gray looked stunned. Natsu shook his head. "They were - still are - the richest family in Fiore. Lucy's got a good couple billion dollars shoved away somewhere. She doesn't usually touch it, and a good chunk of it is pulled out for charity every month, but she used to live in a giant mansion like some kind of princess out of a fairy tale. And most people know it. She's had countless guys try to get friendly with her just to get their hands on it."

Natsu gaped at him. "You're kidding," he wheezed, shaking his head. That explained a lot about why Lucy had been so determined to pay a solid chunk of money for Natsu's books, why she'd not minded handing out free food to him all the time.

"She hated it all," he replied. Gray ran a hand through his hair. "Her mom died when she was young and her old man was a bastard. Was always gone, so he'd hire nannies until she was old enough to demand she stay at my place and then she ran away when she was about seventeen. Came back when she was legal so she wouldn't have to be dragged back and stayed at my place until she had a good set up. Dad died a couple of years ago, leaving the entire fortune to her so no one but a Heartfilia would touch the money."

Natsu felt a stab in his gut. Maybe she'd not liked her father, but Natsu knew what it was like to miss a parent you lost when you were young. Maybe she'd not told him about it herself, but he'd not told her either. "Where are you going with this?"

"Lucy trusts about three whole people right now with her whole soul. She trusts her staff with the bakery, but nothing more. Levy, me, and you. I don't know why she trusts you. It took Levy and I years to convince her we weren't after her money. But she chose to trust you. So stop being a prick that's avoiding her and go tell her you're sorry. She's miserable." Gray glared at him.

Natsu grumbled, but told himself that he'd go and see her when he was done. "I'm not...avoiding her," he gritted out. That was a lie. He had been. "I just haven't been sleeping and she tried to help, but it didn't work. I didn't want her to think I didn't appreciate it."

"Then what the hell are you avoiding her for?" Gray demanded.

"Why do you _care_?" Natsu retorted. "Why did you go out of your way and come find me and tell me to stop avoiding her when you clearly don't like me and could have told her to just forget about me and move on?"

Gray stiffened, having not expected such a question. He thought it over desperately, remembering what Levy had told him, and then said gruffly, "It's not important. You just...make Lucy happy, so I figured I should put myself second and let her be happy. So stop being a prick, you hear me? Go visit the bakery. It's open today." He pushed his hands into his pockets and strode away without waiting for an answer.

Natsu watched him go with a curious cock of his head. Something about Gray Fullbuster was different then he remembered, when he'd run out on Lucy weeks prior. He wondered what had happened to make Gray so concerned, because Gray before then would have undoubtedly done just as Natsu had suggested. That weird tug in the back of his head yanked sharply, but Natsu turned a blind eye on it and instead sighed heavily to himself and grudgingly started forward, reaching for his car keys.

He wouldn't go see Lucy. Not today. He couldn't bring himself to. But he knew exactly where he _was_ going to go.

* * *

Natsu meandered through the museum, ignoring others that were wandering through it. He knew exactly where the subject of his desires was and when he found it, he simply stood there, staring at it.

It was the scarf, the scaled scarf that Levy had told him about his first time in the museum. He longed to touch it, but didn't dare. He didn't feel like being thrown in jail or facing Levy McGarden's rumored temper when it came to her precious artifacts. He couldn't explain why, but even looking at it brought him a feeling of safety and peace that nothing else could.

Natsu stood before that scarf for a good while, not really sure how long. The second he heard the familiar clacking of Levy coming, however, her voice raised as she lead a tour group, Natsu turned and left. He didn't want another scolding. His heart already ached violently enough to make him feel sick.

Natsu ran a hand through his pink hair, miserable, and made himself promise to visit Lucy the next day.

* * *

 _Poor Natsu's having some problems, eh? AND FINALLY A NEW CHAPTER! I'm so excited to start moving forward now. I was thinking about Sabertooth the other night, and where they might be in this world. I look forward to showing you all. ;)_

 _I won't thank reviewers by name due to them being odd with me changing the chapter numbers, so I'll start up against after this chapter. HOWEVER, THANK YOU TO ALL WHO WERE PATIENT, REVIEWED, FOLLOWED, AND FAVORITED! I LOVE YOU ALL!_


	15. When the Day Met the Night

**. When the Day Met the Night .**

* * *

" _When the sun found the moon,_

 _She was drinking tea in a garden,_

 _Under the green umbrella trees,_

 _..._

 _When the moon found the sun,_

 _He looked like he was barely hanging on,_

 _But her eyes saved his life…"_

~ "When the Day Met the Night" by Panic! at the Disco

* * *

Lucy was miserable, and she knew that every single person who came around her knew it. Everyone working alongside her in the bakery knew it. Every customer knew it. Erza, who'd come by again and chatted with her, had known it. Gray had known it. Even Levy, with one step in the blue-haired woman's direction, had known it.

She _knew_ , although she couldn't say how, that Natsu not coming around and avoiding her as hard as he'd been avoiding her wasn't normal. That he didn't intend to hurt her feelings. She couldn't explain how she knew that, but she did. And she wasn't angry with him, but she was certainly worried.

 _"He's a mess,"_ Gray and told her after finding him in a day prior. _"Dunno why, but he's a mess."_

She'd gone so far as to ask Levy for Gajeel's number - how the blind woman had acquired it so quickly was beyond Lucy - and had called the terrifying man to ask him if Natsu was all right. Gajeel had responded gruffly that he probably wasn't, considering that he and Wendy hadn't seen much of him for the past week.

Sad and a little hurt, Lucy had decided it would be best to let Natsu work out his own problems and then be there when he came back. She ran a hand through her hair, glancing at the clock. She had two and a half hours before closing time...at least it would keep her busy.

"Um, Lucy?" Lucy glanced over and caught sight of her newest employee looking distressed. Hired to replace the high schooler that had flunked out, Yukino Auguria had seemed promising upon being hired. For one, she and Lucy had gotten on quite well. It turned out that Yukino had come from a similar family situation, although she had a sister who lived in the port town of Hargeon with a few others. She was often confused, with thousands of questions and anxiety of making sure that everything was right, but Lucy didn't mind the extra work it created. She was training a good employee, and that was all that mattered to her.

"What can I do for you, Yukino?" Lucy asked, hurrying over and wiping her hands on her black apron.

She smiled nervously. "I was wondering...I know I'm new, that I've only worked here a few days, but I have a date tonight, and-"

"Say no more," Lucy laughed, smiling despite her own problems. She put her hands on her hips. "Go ahead and leave early. It's slow anyways, and I'm probably going to close early for my own sanity." She was exhausted after worrying so much about Natsu. She didn't know why she was so worried, but it was certainly exhausting.

"Thank you so much. You're a life-saver, Lucy." Yukino told her and then went to finish up what she'd been doing so she could leave. Lucy watched her go with a warm smile and then shook her head and went back to what she'd been doing.

As she was wiping tables, the door to the bakery opened. Instinctively, Lucy glanced up. She found that she was surprised by the sight of a pair of people she'd not expected to see together. "Levy," she called, eyeing Gajeel suspiciously. She'd have to give the "if-you-hurt her-I'll-kill-you" speech to him. She'd not expected them to actually continue hanging out. It just...didn't make sense when one looked at them, although she supposed it wasn't up to her.

Lucy was impressed, she realized as Levy expertly maneuvered around tables to find her friend. It didn't look as if Levy wanted to kill him, which likely meant he'd helped her get around unfamiliar places without being overly helpful and sympathetic. Not that she could see him being openly sympathetic. He didn't seem the type. He'd help her when she asked for it and that was the type of help that Lucy knew Levy preferred.

Levy found a counter with her fingertips and carefully leaned on it. Gajeel came to stand awkwardly nearby as she grinned and said, "We were out at the park and decided there was nowhere better to go than to the Heartfilia Bakery for something warm to drink." She wiggled her fingers at Lucy. "Can you get me your regular? I'll pay you back later."

"Nah, don't bother. My treat." Lucy sighed softly and turned to face Gajeel, eyeing him closely. She realized he was studying her, too, just as suspicious and Lucy remembered suddenly that he was Natsu's cousin. "Is Natsu still being ridiculous about whatever's bugging him?"

Gajeel nodded once. "Yeah, was out the door the second he woke up this mornin'."

Levy's head tilted a little. "You'd mentioned that he was acting odd, Lucy...what's wrong with him?"

"You know we've had these weird dreams that are stupidly similar," Lucy said, choosing her words carefully. She wouldn't give Levy details without Natsu's permission. "They've been particularly bad for him recently, and he just...stopped coming around one day. He won't answer his phone or anything. Gray ran into him and said he looked horrible."

"He does," Gajeel muttered, narrowing his eyes a little. "Bastard doesn't come home 'til one in the morning and is out the door by five. Dunno what he's doin' out so late, but it wakes Wendy up and she's been cryin' she's so worried."

"You should bring her by," Lucy told him, "I'll treat her to some cookies or something. Anyways, what do you want to drink, Gajeel? You guys go take a seat at a table, I'll bring it to you." She watched as Levy expertly did just that, weaving through tables as if she knew precisely where they were - and she did. It was something like a silent agreement between Lucy and Levy. Lucy had never rearranged the tables in the years that she'd owned her bakery, simply so that there was one of very few places that Levy could go out to a place to eat and know where everything was.

What amazed Lucy again, however, was how Gajeel just let her do it. He didn't so much as offer his help, as if he knew what she could and couldn't handle. Lucy knew Levy was more than grateful for it.

Lucy brought the pair some food and drinks - a little extra, despite the protests Levy gave upon picking up her cup of tea. When Levy waved for her to join them, Lucy politely refused, explaining that her new employee was leaving early.

"New employee?" Levy questioned, shocked. "You didn't tell me you'd hired someone."

"Mm, she's great," Lucy said cheerfully. "She's new to this kind of stuff, but she learns quickly and I like how she makes sure everything is done properly." Lucy leaned her hip on the table. She had a few minutes before Yukino was done. "Her name's Yukino Auguria, and-" Levy choking on her coffee had Lucy pausing, staring at her in surprise.

Gajeel frowned, too. "You good, shrimp?"

"Yeah, yeah," Levy sputtered, coughing hard to clear her throat. "Sorry, just...went down the wrong tube." She cleared her throat, voice hoarse. "You were saying?"

"Yukino's looking to be one of my best employees outside of Lisanna, and Lisanna's been helping me train her, even," Lucy said. "Mind you, I told her that I'd do the toaster training… "

Lucy left them not long after that, telling them not to bother with the check and that it was on the house. She worked behind the counter after that, covering the register as she did so, pausing only to wave when Yukino left with a bright smile on her face. Lucy didn't miss the weird look Levy took on when she heard Yukino's voice call out a farewell.

When closing time came, Lucy swapped the sign and let out a loud sigh. It felt good to be alone, although she supposed she was usually alone. It was something she'd always been used to, but now it just felt...lonely. She found herself dearly missing Natsu's company. He'd become a fairly lovely presence in her life and the fact that he was so suddenly blowing her off made her feel horrible - as if she'd experienced a massive loss she wasn't used to.

After she'd finished cleaning up and putting stools and chairs on tables, Lucy made herself a cup of tea and went to sit in the corner she usually occupied during moments like these. She settled into the chair with a sigh, enjoying the warmth of the evening sun and looking out the massive window at the beautiful snowy world outside.

It was peaceful, she thought, and it settled the unease in her soul.

It was a good amount of time into this peaceful resting when she heard the familiar jingle of bells. Not bothering to look away from the window, amused brown eyes locked on the figures throwing snowballs in the park across the street, Lucy called, "We're closed! Sorry!"

The person who'd entered cleared his throat and said hoarsely, sounding exhausted, "Lucy."

Her gaze snapped over and she set her tea down rather sharply in shock at the sight of Natsu. He was supporting a fur-lined coat, but his nose was red from cold. " _Natsu_ ," she said in a shocked, choked voice. "What are you - come in, already! You look like you're freezing-"

He didn't move from where he stood, however, and instead shuffled his feet awkwardly. "You're not mad?"

"Of course I'm mad," she retorted, "but I can't very well be mad if you freeze to death, now can I?" And she was mad, she realized. She'd not thought of the anger, but it was there, simmering beneath the concern. She was furious that the one person she'd let in after so long of only allowing Gray and Levy that close had turned his back on her. But she could see what Gray had meant. To put it simply, Natsu Dragneel was a mess. A disaster, even. "Get in here and sit down," she ordered, pointing at the seat across from her own. "I'll go get you some of that coffee you said you liked…"

She bustled into the back and was back within minutes, a hotter-than-average coffee in her hands. She winced, nursing a burnt finger as she set it firmly before him with a clink and then took her own seat again, eyeing him closely. Natsu had deep bruises beneath his eyes and his pink hair was sticking up even more than normal.

"So," Lucy said after he'd taken a deep drink of it. She wondered how he didn't burn his tongue on it. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Around," he said unhelpfully. "Visited the museum a few times, I guess."

"Levy didn't say anything."

His lips twitched at her accusing tone. "I made sure she didn't know I was there. It's not that hard." Natsu winced. "That was rude. Sorry."

Lucy eyed him. He didn't normally notice when he was rude like that. He must have been deep in his head for stuff like that to be noticeable. Taking a cautious sip of her tea, she said, "Are you okay? You stopped coming around after that bad night...although I'm going to take a wild guess and say the books didn't help?"  
He shook his head, setting his coffee aside. Natsu put his face in his arms after folding them on the table, groaning. "I didn't want to tell you 'cause you were nice and tried to help. S'why I didn't come by."

A startled giggle left her lips despite everything. "Natsu, I wouldn't have been upset if you told me sooner. It's not your fault that my solution didn't work for you." She cleared her throat, putting her tea to her mouth as she added, "But I'm still mad. That isn't an excuse for you to avoid me like that."

He didn't look at her, instead remaining how he was. "I know. Sorry."

Lucy contemplated what to do, knowing that he was as miserable as he was. With a sigh, she let go of the sudden anger and let simple concern flood into the space it left. Gently, she reached out and gently touched his arm. "Is it the same dream?" He nodded without lifting his head. "I'm sorry, Natsu, I can't really do anything to stop them, but you can't go around not sleeping like this...it's going to end with you getting really sick and hurting yourself."

Natsu grumbled soundlessly, moving his head so he could breathe but too tired to come up with a proper answer, and within moments, Lucy realized she wouldn't be getting an answer from him again anytime soon. "Did you...you really just fell asleep on my table, didn't you?" Lucy muttered, shaking her head. But she felt a spike of warmth in her heart as she studied the sleeping man before her. He was somewhat cute, she thought, smiling to herself at the peaceful look finally on his face.

Turning red at her own thoughts, Lucy quietly rose to her feet and took her cup of tea to the back, entirely content to remain at the bakery while Natsu caught up on his sleep no matter how long it took.

* * *

It was almost nine at night when Lucy decided Natsu should probably stop sleeping awkwardly in a chair and actually go home, and that was only because Gajeel suddenly sent her a scathing text that said if she saw him, she needed to tell him to get his ass home because Wendy was crying. Lucy grimaced in sympathy for the poor young girl. She must have been desperately worried for her cousin.

Gently, Lucy prodded at Natsu's shoulder. "Natsu," she said gently, "time to get up."

Lucy had never seen someone pop awake so suddenly with shocked eyes, but Natsu did, and he looked like a gopher - enough so, that Lucy jumped back with a squeak of surprise. He blinked owlishly at her for a few moments and then sputtered, "What the hell-"

"I'd love to spend the night in my bakery," she said with an amused look, "but Gajeel's threatened to skin me alive if I don't send you home, so-"

"I'm...wait, what? What time is it?" Natsu said, squinting at the darkened windows. "How long-"

"You got here about quarter to five," Lucy replied, lips quirking in amusement as she propped her hip and folded her arms. Her eyes shone with gentle warmth. "It's almost nine in the evening. You passed out and since you hadn't been sleeping, I thought it would be a good idea to leave you there. How are you feeling? Any better? Did you have that dream again?"

Natsu blinked again, confused by the sudden barrage of questions. And then he said, "Guess I feel better. Need more sleep though. And no, I didn't have the dream. Didn't dream at all for the first time in a long time." He thought about that with a frown and then slowly climbed to his feet, wincing as he popped his neck. "Sorry. 'Bout falling asleep. You could have woken me up."

Lucy waved him off. "Gajeel and Wendy aren't the only ones worried about you, you know," she said kindly, smiling warmly. "Now off with you. I want you back here tomorrow evening if you have the time though, you hear me? You owe me your company after disappearing on me like that."

Natsu stared at her openly for a few moments, puzzled that he was so easily forgiven. Rather than saying anything about the matter, however, Lucy was pleased to see him simply accept it, bid her farewell, and duck outside, yawning as he did so. Lucy watched him go with a sigh and then gathered her things, flicking off lights as she headed outside after him.

Time to go back to her lonely apartment and dream herself, she supposed.

At least he'd be coming back at some point the next day to provide her with some decent company.

* * *

As he meandered through the near-empty snow-filled streets of Magnolia, Fiore, a few things came to mind. For one, the town was so, so different than what he remembered. Then again, he supposed his memories were a little mixed up to begin with, and he'd never really been able to tell what had happened and what was happening. He'd always wondered about what _would_ happen in the future, though. He also thought about the fact that he should have tried the busy town before then. He'd hunted through every other city and town in Fiore, coming up with a few names, but never the one he wanted to find most.

He supposed it shouldn't have surprised him so much upon discovering that so many familiar names were popping up in Magnolia. It should have even been the first place he checked.

But dealing with present and past memories that mingled together and created a confusing world around you was troublesome, and it had confused him, replacing Magnolia with other titles of cities and towns.

"Hey!"

He paused, pushing his hood back a little to look over his shoulder. A familiar woman came jogging down the alleyway, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Her cheeks were flushed with cold and she practically bounced up and down as she pushed hair from her eyes. A frown appeared on his face. "Did you find anything?"

She thrust a flyer into his cold fingers and he studied it. "I told you Magnolia was where we needed to go!" she said, pointing outright to the objects displayed. "It's for a local museum. It's got historical artifacts from digs done throughout Fiore. Look at the ones found in Old Magnolia."

He recognized a few of them immediately - particularly the remnants of a scarf that lay encased in glass. It was the most memorable out of any of the shown items, though he thought a few here and there looked just as familiar. "Well done," he praised. "Let's head there. Did you find-"

"No," she said, voice filling with annoyance. "But...I'm sure we'll get information when we get to the museum, so let's go."

"It's three-forty-six in the morning. We're going to have to wait, you know."

She wiggled her fingers at him. "Haven't you heard? I'm a thief. I know my way into a museum without setting off any alarms."

"Just don't take anything. These are valuable for more than just financial reasons."

"No promises."

He sighed heavily, wondering once more why life had to be as difficult as it was.

* * *

 _Who's this making suspicious comments about the museum? ;) And Yukino's here, too!_

 _Reviews are still weird, but thank you to all of those who reviewed and to those who favorited and followed! I appreciate all of you!_


	16. Centuries

**. Centuries .**

* * *

" _Some legends are told._

 _Some turn to dust or to gold,_

 _But you will remember me._

 _Remember me for centuries._

…

 _We've been here forever,_

 _And here's the frozen proof._

 _I could scream forever._

 _We are the poisoned youth."_

~ "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy

* * *

Levy had fallen asleep in the museum before. It was normal for her. Security knew that she was often there so late that she'd just curl up on her couch rather than go home. It was easier for her when she was in the midst of a big study to simply rest for a few hours and get straight back to work.

What wasn't normal, however, was for her to wake suddenly with the oddest feeling that something was wrong. She listened intently, hating once more that she was blind, and then threw her legs over the side of the couch. She fumbled around for a moment. When she had her cane in hand, she climbed to her feet, aware that said feet were bare of any socks or shoes despite the cold temperature the museum was currently at. She huffed at the thought. She'd have a word with management; the temperature could hurt historical documents and other such things.

She hunted down her phone until she found it. She whispered clear yet quiet voice commands until the phone had texted Gray, sending him a message. Maybe she should have called the police, but she didn't want to risk a longer conversation and she wasn't entirely sure yet on what was wrong. Not if it meant alerting them to where she was. After she was done, she set her phone aside and took a deep breath, making what was likely the stupidest decision she'd ever made outside of what she'd done to blind herself.

Levy kept her fingers tight around her cane, knuckles white as she made her way cautiously out of her office. She made sure not to make too much sound as she shuffled down the hall and found her way to the main part of the first story of the museum. She listened intently to her surroundings, carefully feeling with her feet for any displays so that she didn't slam into them rather than using her cane. She needed a dog, she thought drily. One of those seeing eye dogs, who could double as a protector. She found her way halfway into another section- the Old Magnolian section - and stopped to listen.

It was then that she heard the footsteps - the slightest sounds of boots squeaking on the hard polished marble floors of the museum. A voice came then, soft and definitely female, though she couldn't catch what she was saying. Her fingers tightened until she thought the cane would snap beneath her touch. Levy wasn't made to handle thieves and intruders. What if they had guns? She took a shaken step back, her toes curling as she contemplated how to get back to her room and call the police before the intruders noticed.

She took a step back, and then another. She retreated step by step until her back suddenly hit the wall. A grunt of surprise escaped her. She pressed her back against it, feeling reassured that there wasn't any way for someone to come up behind her. "Damn it," she breathed, frustrated that she'd not thought to bring her phone with her. It was then that she found the entry way that would take her back into the room that backed the offices.

Relief flooded her and she immediately spun around and through the doorway - only to bounce harshly off of someone's hard chest. She hit the ground with a strangled cry of fear and surprise. Hands immediately reached for her arms, gripping them, and Levy lashed out in terror with her legs, nailing her attacker in what felt like the throat. They wheezed and reeled back with a sound of shock and she rocketed to her feet, abandoning her cane as she took off, sweeping around the intruder. She needed to keep herself oriented, she told herself in a panic. Keep herself from getting lost in the museum she knew so well-

" _Oof_!" she gasped when she was tackled from behind, the person she'd run into slamming into her. She guessed that they'd thrown themself at her, more worried about stopping her than not hurting either of them. "Let _go_ of me," she spat, fighting viciously to kick herself away. She'd learned long ago that her legs held more power than her arms, and she wouldn't hesitate to use them to get away from this situation.

"Sorry," the person grunted and then slammed an elbow into her gut, driving the breath out of her. Levy immediately curled up, gasping desperately for air that she couldn't suck back in. A sobbed groan left her her attacker withdrew, breathing hard. Footsteps filled the air, someone else running to see what was happening. Another intruder, Levy realized, panic setting in. The best they could do was tie her up and steal priceless artifacts that meant way more to her than money ever could. The thought of those iron cuffs disappearing...those golden keys she would never forget seeing, the scarf, the ancient books…

"What happened?" a voice came from overhead, feminine and incredibly familiar. Levy stilled, still gasping painfully as she fought to remember where she'd heard it.

"It appears," the one who'd tackled her said drily, "that we failed to think about those who'd be here outside of security. Did you find anything of use to either of us?"

"No," the woman replied hesitantly. "What did you _do_?"

"She'll be fine. I just elbowed her."

"How hard did you do that? She can't breathe. I know we broke in, but you didn't have to hurt someone!" Softer hands suddenly touched Levy's back and she recoiled away, fighting to catch her breath. "Don't worry, we're not going to hurt you, we just want information on some people. We wanted help. I wish we could see, it's so _dark_."

Levy was bewildered. Where had she heard their voices? " _Help_?" she croaked. "You broke into my museum! Why would I help you?!"

"She has a point there," the man said in amusement. "We _did_ break in."

 _Where had she heard their voices?_

"Okay, but to be fair, Jellal, we wouldn't have broken in if it wasn't three in the morning," the woman pointed out. She huffed. "Look, can you just tell us where we might find someone by the name of Ultear Milkovich? Or Gray Fullbuster and Erza Scarlet? We need to find to find the other, I can feel it. You know what? I'm going to go and find the lights in this place…" Levy heard her footsteps as they faded away.

It clicked. "Jellal Fernandes?" she breathed. "You're Jellal, aren't you?" The woman - Meredy, Levy would bet - had said as much, but she still wanted it to be clear.

She'd heard of them. She'd only met Jellal and Meredy, who Levy believed the woman to be, in person once in the old days, during the time the dragons had roamed the streets after the Grand Magic Games. They'd saved her life and ensured she was safe before moving on to help others.

But if they were searching for Ultear, Gray, and Erza, then that meant-

"You've heard of me?" Jellal answered calmly, sounding a little startled. Levy faltered. Maybe they just knew the pair from this life? They didn't know...but they were looking for information! Why would they look for information if they knew Gray's family and Erza? Levy's head was spinning around and around. Did she admit that she remembered him from a life before and risk ruining everything? Or did she lie? Say she'd heard his name somewhere else?"

"Ah ha!" came the distant voice of Meredy just a second before Jellal swore quietly. _She must have found the lights,_ Levy thought.

"Levy McGarden," Jellal said suddenly, as if recognizing her in the lights. "Yes?"

 _He knew her name, too._ Did he remember though? Or was it just seeing her name somewhere regarding the museum? What did she do? She'd never been in this situation! She'd never even dreamed of being in a situation of questioning whether or not someone knew who she was from this life or another. She clamped her mouth shut in panic.

What did she _do_?

"Yes," she answered finally, voice nothing more than a whisper. She was grateful he said nothing about her eyes. Even more grateful that in the scuffle, the cloth she'd tied around them hadn't fallen off. "Where's my...please, could...my cane-" She wanted to get up, get on her feet. She felt better when she was standing, could think straight.

"Of course, here." It was pressed into her hands and she heaved herself to her feet.

"Thank you," she said hesitantly. She swallowed thickly, listening as Meredy came back. Her feet squeaked far less than they had before on the hard floor. She licked her lips and then said slowly, "Why are you looking for them? The people you mentioned?" She'd pick her words carefully.

"They're old friends," Meredy said as she joined them. Levy could feel her gaze on her, surprised.

"Meredy, this is-"

"Levy McGarden," Meredy said, cutting Jellal off. "I know." She hummed softly under her breath for a moment before saying, "Do you know them? We've been looking for them since- well, for a long time. We couldn't find anything out on the internet, so…"

"Why come here?" Levy asked in response. "Why come to this museum and ask about people that you're looking for? We're a museum. It's not like we house people. Except for me apparently." She did spend most of her time here in the museum rather than at her own small apartment, where she was constantly in her thoughts.

They were caught by surprise by her question. Meredy stammered in surprise while Jellal remained quiet. But it was enough for Levy. "You remember," she breathed, her heart skipping a beat. Gray had remembered now, but she'd never _dreamed_ that there'd be other people out in the world. "You remember, don't you? Everything. From before."

"...you remember, too?" Meredy whispered, caught by surprise.

"Of course," Levy said, tapping her cane thoughtfully on the ground. "I work here. How could I not?" She was crying she realized. She'd not even noticed. She noticed when the tears began to soak through the cloth and dribble further down her face, though. "I didn't...I thought I was alone. I thought I was the only one...and then Gray...and you guys!"

"Gray?" Meredy perked up. "Gray remembers, too? And is Ultear-"

"His sister. Ur adopted he and Lyon again in this life." Meredy made a happy sound, excited by the prospect that someone she'd shown interest towards was also around. "And Erza...I'm sorry, Jellal. I've not met her here, but Gray said that she showed up at the Heartfilia Bakery and it's kind of what triggered his memories-"

"Who else?" Meredy demanded. "How many people are here in Magnolia?"

Levy smiled to herself, realizing for the first time just how many people resided there in the town. "More than you'd ever believe."

* * *

Gray got the call at approximately four-thirty in the morning. Grumbling as his phone shook and shook as he picked it up, Gray squinted at the screen. _Levy,_ read the name on the front. Suspicious of why Levy would be texting him so early in the damn morning. Sitting up with a yawn, Gray opened the text and skimmed through it.

He froze halfway through and stared in horror. _At the museum. Help._

" _Shit_!" Gray snarled, leaping out of the bed. He yanked on his clothes quickly, found his car keys and coat, and then flew out of the apartment he'd just recently started renting, storming down a flight of stairs without bothering to so much as lock his door. Levy needed help and that was far more important. Maybe he should have called the police, although he hoped Levy had done that before she'd contacted him, but he felt as if it would slow him down.

The museum was only twenty minutes or so away without traffic that usually lined the roads. But with it being so early, the streets were near empty, and he made it there in ten with a little bit of risky speeding. He shot out of the car, noting that there were no other cars in the parking lot and that the lights were on all throughout the museum. Gray eyed the front doors and then made a beeline for the back one that Levy had told him she left unlocked at night so that if she needed help, someone could get in while the front doors were locked.

He practically stormed down the hall, following the twists and turns. He ducked into Levy's office and then scowled when he found no sign of her. If she wasn't in _there_ , then what the hell had she been doing that she'd need help?

Gray ducked back out and headed for the first section of the first floor. He paused to look around, frowning again at the fact that all of the lights were on. He found no sign of Levy in there, but heard the murmur of voices nearby. Wary, he edged forward through the room until he found a group of three, one clearly Levy, standing in the entrance to the next section. Levy was tapping her cane nervously on the ground, a habit she'd fallen into long ago.

"Levy!" he called, stopping where he was. He refused to get closer in case something happened. Immediately, all three turned towards him and he faltered, caught by surprise. Complete surprise crossed his features. "Jellal. Meredy." Their names left his mouth before he could help it. "The hell-"

"Gray!" Meredy said cheerfully, wiggling her fingers. She looked so different from what he remembered...clad in jeans and black military-style boots, fingerless gloves and a rather heavy and thick leather coat on. Jellal, too, looked different, although there was still the familiar sight of the red symbol on his face.

His mouth opened, closed, and then opened again as he comprehended that they remembered like he and Levy did. Because why else would someone he'd never met in this life - someone he didn't know at the same time that he did - greet him? He retreated back a step nervously, unsure of how to proceed. But before he could go anywhere, Meredy was latching her arms around him in a hug.

He tensed beneath the hug, not at all pleased. As gently as he could, he pried her off and pushed her back, breathing coming raggedly. "What the hell," he snapped to Levy, "is going on? I came because I thought there was some kind of danger, not because...not because people are showing up claiming to know who we are!"

Meredy retreated, looking startled. "But-"

Jellal silenced her with a touch to her arm, shaking his head, and Levy said evenly, "I thought someone had broken in. I mean, technically they did, but-"

Gray jabbed a finger at her. "First off, McGarden, if someone breaks in, you don't call me! You call the goddamn police! And secondly, I don't...why _me_? Just because I remember doesn't mean I _want_ to! I don't want to remember." He was angry. He'd never realized it, but he was _angry_ that he'd remembered. His life had been so easy beforehand. And now...he couldn't even see Lucy without a stab of agony racing through him, a vicious pain over the fact that she had no idea just who exactly he was and what they'd been through together. "I don't want any part of this kind of thing. I'm _not_ the Gray from before. Got it? I'm _not him_."

Levy's lips had parted in surprise, her entire face shifting with hurt, but Gray angrily shook off the guilt it made.

Remembering had ruined his life, he thought as he turned and stalked away. He quickly left the building, hands shaking violently. He couldn't even see Juvia again, not without seeing who she'd been centuries prior.

And he wasn't about to celebrate the fact that they'd found two more who were as screwed up as the rest of him.

That was what they were.

They were broken, ruined people who had to live dual lives and pretend that one didn't tear them apart as they longed for it. _What was the point_ of all of this, if there were only a few who remembered? Why remember at all if so many others didn't? Why remember if they couldn't go back?

Gray hated that he'd ever been given a part in what he expected was a fucked up fate.

* * *

 _The end of this chapter wasn't planned until I'd finished it and I'm quite happy with it, actually. Really matched the lyrics I felt like._

 _Thanks to reviewers (Tabatha Evans, 1-anime, stranger1999, and ThaDesperado64!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	17. State of Grace

**. State of Grace .**

* * *

" _And I never saw you coming,_

 _And I'll never be the same._

 _~ x~_

 _You come around and the armor falls,_

 _Pierce the room like a cannonball._

…

 _We learn to live with the pain,_

 _Mosaic broken hearts,_

 _But this love is brave and wild._

…

 _These are the hands of fate._

 _You're my Achilles heel._

 _This is the golden age of something good and right and real."_

~ "State of Grace~ by Taylor Swift

* * *

The familiar jingle of the bell on the front door made Natsu smile to himself as he stepped into the Heartfilia Bakery, feeling much better than he had in a long time. He nearly sprang right back out the door, however, when he felt water soak into his shoes. A squawk left him as he stared down at the several inches of water on the bakery floor. "What the hell?"

"Natsu!" Lucy called in exhausted yet cheerful relief. He followed the sound of her voice with his eyes and found the pretty blonde on her hands and knees with several others in the middle of the bakery. Yukino and Lisanna were both battling the flood with as many rags as they could find while someone that sounded suspiciously like Gray shouted furiously from where he was working behind the counter - likely to stop the flood at the source. "Help!"

"What happened?" he demanded, flinching at the cold wind that sent chills running through all of them. He hastily shut the door and reluctantly waded further in. The water was only an inch or two deep, but it was still enough that it'd likely mean expensive repairs. He frowned at the thought. He hoped she didn't shut the bakery down.

Lucy stood, her clothes soaked, and shoved a bucket full of water at him. It slopped over the sides, earning a half-hearted glare from Natsu. She had several other buckets around her, and he wondered briefly where she'd gotten them all. "A pipe burst," she said with wide eyes. "I wouldn't have called you for help with everything that's been happening, and I know you're tired, but-"

"It's fine," he reassured immediately, flashing her a grin. "I'll help." He'd gotten the call nearly half an hour prior. It was already nearing noon, and he'd slept so deeply - the first time in days - that he'd almost not woken up. He'd practically run the entire way there. "What do you want me to do?"

"Take those buckets over to Juvia," Lucy told him, pointing to a woman that was returning from where she'd been dumping out two. She paused just behind the counter to look at him, and Natsu found himself staring back at her, puzzled by the lurch of recognition. It was like when he'd met Lucy, although not quite as extreme.

The woman blinked her blue eyes curiously at him. She pushed a stray blue strand of hair out of her eyes as she furrowed her brow, cautiously setting the buckets down to fix her ponytail. "Who's this?"

Lucy grinned when there was a loud curse from Gray. "Juvia, this is my friend and a new but regular customary, Natsu Dragneel. Natsu, this is Juvia Lockser, Gray's...friend." Juvia turned a bright red and hissed playfully at Lucy for the comment. "They were hanging out here when the pipe burst, so… Juvia, he's going to help you carry out buckets until Gray fixes the pipe and the professionals finally get here."

"Nice to meet you," Natsu said politely.

"Likewise," Juvia returned, smiling. "Now, let's get to work."

Working with them all was enjoyable despite the fact that by the time people came with machinery to suck out the water. As they were checking Gray's work on the pipe, the group gathered in the back corner with mugs of tea in hand. Lucy took a deep drink of hers, fingers curled delicately around the mug. Natsu eyed the way she'd curled up with her legs tucked neatly on the chair, envious. His legs were too long for that.

Much to Natsu's surprise, Yukino mused, "You don't look as tired as Lucy was telling us you were."

Natsu's eyes briefly rested on Yukino before darting to the suddenly flustered Lucy, narrowing. "You told _everyone_?"

"No," she said defensively. "Just Lisanna and Yukino, before the pipe burst. I told them that if you came in, you were to get a free extra large coffee because I know you've been having trouble sleeping. And two or three free fresh muffins. That's all."

Natsu scowled, but muttered, "Guess it's okay then...don't go tellin' everyone else though. I don't like people knowing." Lucy promised she wouldn't, guilty, and he showed that he wasn't too annoyed with her by elbowing her gently.

Juvia cocked her head, her mug touching her lips as she said, "Juvia has trouble sleeping most nights." They all looked curiously to her, but Juvia was staring at Natsu and no one else. Even Gray was looking at her, startled. She smiled quietly. "Juvia has odd dreams." She hummed thoughtfully, taking sip of tea before continuing, eyeing the water on the floor. It wasn't as deep as it had been. "Dreams of odd places and odd things...Juvia enjoys them, but sometimes they're painful and keep me from sleeping."

Her odd use of pronouns made Natsu kind of dizzy, but he focused more on what she was saying than anything else. Lucy, shocked, set down her mug, and Gray nearly slammed his down, face white with… Natsu squinted at him, and then blinked in alarm. He was _scared_. What was he scared of?

No one else seemed to notice, however, so Natsu brushed it off and said, "What do you do? To help you sleep? Got my first full night in a while last night," he admitted.

"Background noise," Juvia informed him. "Generally ocean waves, but sometimes, if it's bad, music or even podcasts." She folded her legs to her chest, wiggling her toes on the chair. "Things with words that you can focus on until you're asleep."

"That's a much better idea than mine," Lucy admitted, grimacing. "I made him read. That's my method when I can't sleep." She reached with her foot to nudge Lisanna, who'd been texting furiously on her phone. "What are you doing over there? Who are you messaging? You better not be messaging Mira, she'll be over in an instant."

Lisanna blushed even as she laughed. "No, no, not Mira. Not Elf, either," she added, grimacing at the thought of bringing her brother into the bakery at the moment. "I'm texting this guy I met. He's friends with the guy Mira's seeing. He asked me on a date, and we're arguing about the best place to go that's not a movie."

"Aw, that's awesome," Lucy praised. "Which reminds me…" She turned her head to look at Yukino, who was pouting a little. "How'd your date go the other day?"

Yukino scowled. "He turned out to be a jerk who yelled at the waiter for taking too long to bring his food. He asked me on a second date and I told him no." She groaned quietly, putting her face in her arms. "I've not had a good date in a very long time."

"You'll find someone," Juvia promised, patting her back. "Just like Juvia. Gray is the first person Juvia's gone on a date with in a very long time, and he's done a very good job so far. You just have to be patient and wait for the right person."

"I guess," Yukino sighed, but giggled when Gray spluttered around his mouth full of tea, glaring half-heartedly at Juvia for her comment. Lucy threw her head back and laughed.

Natsu watched them all with a grin, putting his mug to his mouth with a happy sound. Maybe he didn't know anyone there but Lucy well, but he liked them all enough to not mind.

Even Gray.

* * *

The late afternoon found Natsu lowering lifted chairs onto the floor while Lucy finished cleaning up some damp corners, grumbling about having to call people to come and take a look at the building itself. Natsu found himself smirking at her uttered complaints.

Gray and Juvia had long since left, as had Yukino and Lisanna. It was just Natsu and Lucy cleaning up at this point, although Lucy had told Natsu many times that he could go home if he wanted. Natsu didn't mind; he liked the time he was spending with Lucy, and he owed her for the misery he'd caused.

He was exhausted by the time Lucy called it quits, but in a better way than he had recently. He didn't mind this exhaustion. This had come from spending all day with someone he liked. He went to stand beside Lucy as she put her hands on her hips and looked around at the bakery she owned and ran.

"Not too bad," she commented, flashing him a blinding smile. "Thanks for all of your help, Natsu. I appreciate it more than you think."

Natsu fought the urge to grow flustered beneath the happy look she was giving him and then had to force himself not to roll his eyes at his own behavior. He was an idiot, he decided as he reassured her that he didn't mind, that he'd even enjoyed it. It was true; Natsu had honestly loved the work he'd done with her. Lucy was fun to work alongside.

Lucy made him sit down at their normal table and went to grab some dinner from the fridge for them both - sandwiches, she apologized, as it was a bakery that didn't offer much. She brought along a couple cookies to make up for it though.

"Here you go," she was saying, sliding him some hot chocolate and his sandwich when the door opened. They glanced over at the sound of the bell tinkling and both furrowed their brow when Levy ducked in, the familiar sound of her cane clacking on the ground recognizable even if they'd not been able to see her.

What wasn't familiar, Natsu thought, was the pair of people that stepped in after her. He narrowed his eyes at them, a weird tug in his gut reminding him of Juvia. Both were peering thoughtfully around, the woman with the pink hair - Natsu was admittedly pleased at the sight that someone else had the color - beaming at the sight of the display cases.

"Hi, Levy," Lucy said warily, eyeing the people with her friend anxiously. Natsu glanced at her. She didn't recognize either of them.

"Lucy!" Levy said cheerfully and immediately the two were staring at his friend in a way that made Natsu scowl. It clearly made Lucy uncomfortable, and she shifted so that she was leaning against the table she had yet to join him at. It got even worse when both looked at him, too. Levy began to make her way over, and the pair followed. When they had gotten close enough, she gestured to them, clearly not knowing which one was behind her and saying in general, "We're not staying, but I wanted to introduce you to Jellal and Meredy."

"A pleasure to meet you," Lucy said with a slightly forced smile. Natsu said nothing, wondering if she was feeling the same thing he was about these two: something just wasn't right at the same time that it was entirely right. He got the same feeling from Levy whenever he saw her, although he'd not noticed until now. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia, and this is my friend, Natsu Dragneel. You missed out on some drama today, Levy. I had a pipe burst."

Levy's head turned in Lucy's direction a sound of surprise leaving her lips. "You could have called me," she huffed. "I could have come out and helped."

"Nah, it's fine. We got it fixed." Lucy flashed him a smile, and Natsu returned it brightly although he kept his eyes locked in a sudden staring match with the calm yet strangely excited Jellal. There was something about these two that reminded him of Levy, he realized. It took him a moment to figure out what it was.

Levy was like his father, Natsu realized as Lucy began explaining everything to Levy regarding the pipe. Igneel had died years back, but when he'd been alive, Natsu had gotten the feeling that there was something Igneel hadn't been telling him. Of course, he'd never find out what that feeling was about with him gone. Levy was like that, too. She clearly knew something that the rest of them didn't. When she thought no one was looking, he'd see her lips tug into a frown or she'd take a shaken breath when certain subjects were brought up.

It was incredibly concerning for him that these two strangers would show up and give off that same feeling. Natsu's gaze hardened as he broke off the staring contest he was having to look at Lucy when she said, "I'll get you guys some food for the road since you're not staying. I hope sandwiches and what's left of the hot chocolate is okay...I didn't get the chance to make much else!"

Natsu frowned when Lucy left him alone with Levy, Meredy, and Jellal. Grumbling, instead of scarfing down his sandwich as he normally would have done, Natsu sat back with his arms folded. He found he didn't care much for either of the newcomers. They clearly made Lucy uncomfortable.

Meredy flashed him a smile, bright and warm despite the clear lack of interest he had in her. "Are you two together?" she asked, nodding after Lucy.

Natsu was amazed that his face didn't burst into flames, because that's sure as hell what he felt like doing. "No," he said hastily, making sure not to spit the word out too quickly. "We're friends."

Levy's lips twitched, but she said nothing. "Hey, Natsu," she said instead, addressing him. He focused on her. He didn't mind her, she was fine. It was the other two. "How are you feeling? Lucy mentioned that you weren't coming around for some time, and I know Gajeel was annoyed by how often you were out. Are you alright?"

His gaze hardened. He really didn't like that she was bringing this up in front of two virtual strangers. "I'm fine," he said curtly, and then rose to his feet to help Lucy, relieved as she came back, struggling with three to-go cups of hot chocolate and sandwiches. He took the sandwiches and a drink from her and she flashed him a warm look.

"Thanks," she muttered.

"Alright, Levy?" Lucy said cheerfully despite her own discomfort. Natsu glanced at her and winced. Levy's lips were tugged into a frown, her brow furrowed slightly, as if somewhat hurt with the lack of warmth Natsu was giving her. He clamped his mouth shut, promising silently to apologize to her when the other two weren't around, if only to avoid pissing off Gajeel. If Gajeel found out…

Well. His cousin had become quite attached to the short woman despite having only gone on a few dates. Natsu had no doubts that Gajeel would deck him if he found out that Natsu had upset her.

"Yeah," Levy said quickly in response, "I'm fine. Thanks, Lucy." She smiled faintly in the direction of her friend, but before she could move, Jellal suddenly spoke for the first time.

"How did you meet?"

The question was the last one Natsu had expected. Lucy looked just as startled as she exchanged a look with him. After a moment, Lucy said, "I own the Heartfilia Bakery, clearly. He walked in. Something clicked. Here we are."

Such a simple explanation for something that was so oddly detailed, Natsu thought, frowning at her. He'd only met Lucy because of the luck he'd had in having Wendy for a cousin. Had she not gone to school, he'd not have met Levy, and in turn Lucy. "What she said," he said after a moment, not wanting to make it known to the trio that he was so deeply attached to the blonde.

Jellal hummed in thought. "You seem like you're good friends; don't lose that. We all need friends of that caliber." He offered a polite smile. "Thank you for allowing us to invade your space, Miss Heartfilia. We better be off now."

Meredy opened her mouth to protest, but Jellal took her by the shoulders and gently pushed her towards the door. Levy hesitated, turning her head towards where her friends' voices had been, and then let Jellal grip her elbow and pull her forward, murmuring to her.

When the door had closed behind them, Lucy spoke. "That was...that was really, really _weird_."

"I'd say," Natsu agreed, nodding. He glanced at her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She wrapped her arms unhappily around herself. "They just...they made me uncomfortable. Sometimes Levy gives off this feeling, but the three of them together...there's something weird there. There's something going on that they're not saying a thing about. I've never heard of Jellal or Meredy before today. So where the hell did they come from? I'm really, _really_ worried about Levy."

Natsu barely heard her comment about Levy; he was too busy staring at her in shock, unable to believe that she'd recognized the strange feeling. When she looked at him, she arched a brow inquisitively and he hastily turned his attention onto his food, reaching for the hot chocolate without another word.

Sometimes, he thought glancing at Lucy from beneath his lashes as she settled into the seat across from him, he questioned just what kind of fate he had if it had brought Lucy to him.

* * *

 _Didn't feel like the song matched very well, but I couldn't find a better one. Really enjoyed writing the bits with Juvia. ;)_

 _Thanks to reviewers_ _(stranger1999, MagatsuIza, and ThaDesperado64!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	18. Would You Kindly Calm Me Down

**. Would You Kindly Calm Me Down .**

* * *

" _So cold, alone._

 _Could you be my blanket?_

 _Surround my bones_

 _When my heart feels naked._

 _No strength, too weak._

 _I could use some saving…_

…

 _When my heart's not pure,_

 _would you kill my disease?_

 _And when there's no cure,_

 _You are just what I need._

 _When I lose my mind,_

 _Would you still remind me?_

 _When I'm feeling lost,_

 _Would you come and find me?_

…

 _If I need you now, would you kindly calm me down?"_

~ "Would You Kindly Calm Me Down" by Meghan Trainor

* * *

The day had not been a good one for her. Not one bit. Lucy had awoken as bright and early as ever, but had felt odd the day after Levy had brought the pair of strangers into her bakery. Her skin had crawled, her head had ached, and her stomach churned. Yukino and Lisanna had noticed, she knew, but had said nothing other than kindly asking if she needed anything.

Lucy had waved them off. She was fine, she'd told them, her face pale.

But it hadn't stopped her from closing up early and heading out, feeling guilty. Natsu had promised to come in that evening, but Lucy just couldn't bring herself to stay a moment longer. She needed to be alone, needed to sort out what was wrong and get some damn good rest.

But that rest hadn't come easily.

 _Everything was wrong, ruined, broken, gone. She knelt alone in the street, sobbing and crying and screaming until she made herself sick. She screamed and screamed, as if it would do her any good, as if it would bring back the person she loved most._

 _A voice filled her ear. Comforting, though streaked with fear. Arms circled her, trying to pull her back, but she couldn't bring herself to get up, couldn't bring herself to stop screaming that single name._

 _She screamed, and screamed, and screamed._

 _Gone. He was_ gone _. She'd tried so hard, but he was_ gone _. As if he'd never ever existed. The one she loved more than anyone else was gone, dead, never existed. She'd seen his smiling face as he'd stumbled towards her, arms open, smelling of smoke and familiarity and full of an internal warmth that comforted her when nothing else could. And now…_

 _Gone._

 _So she screamed._

 _And screamed._

And screamed.

Lucy was awoken by the sound of her own screams and the banging on her front door that accompanied it. A neighbor called worriedly and Lucy, realizing her face was streaked with tears, heart racing so fast she nearly brought up her supper, stumbled out of bed. She hurried over to the door, bumping into furniture and cursing.

She pried the door open, knowing she looked like a mess, and tried to smile faintly at the man standing before her. A frown resided on his face, his blue eyes full of clear concern despite the fact that it was around two in the morning and he'd clearly just rolled out of bed, the only thing on him the pants he'd probably dragged on before leaving his apartment. "You good, Lucy?" he asked. "Heard you screaming."

"Yeah," she said hoarsely. "Sorry for waking you up, Sting."

Sting Eucliffe wrinkled his nose a little, not looking like he believed her. "You sure?"

"Nightmares," she muttered back.

He nodded in thought and offered, "Do you want company? You're kind of a mess. Or I can call someone for you if you want to get cleaned up."

Lucy made a face at the thought of anyone coming over this early in the morning. But...something in her chest twisted as she thought of Natsu. He'd come. She could feel it. He'd come if she asked him. "I guess you can hang out until I can get someone else here." She stepped aside, offering for him to come in. Sting didn't hesitate, shuffling in with a yawn. "I'm really sorry. About waking you up."

"S'fine," he reassured. "I was worried that you were being murdered or something."

She snorted softly, waving at her couch, and went to retrieve her phone. When she came back out of her room, she found him slouched comfortably on her couch, just as she'd expected. She curled up on the other side of the couch, tucking her legs beneath her and typing out a quick message to Natsu, hesitating before sending it.

Quick and simple. She'd sent him her address, alongside a small "bad dreams" in explanation.

He'd come, she was sure.

"So," Sting said, cracking another yawn though he tried to stifle it. "What happened in your dream?"

Lucy thought back about it and shuddered, remembering how her own screams had echoed through the near-empty streets, those arms that had tried to pull her back even as she'd been unable to forget the sheer agony that had accompanied the loss she'd felt. She wrapped her arms around her legs. "I don't want to talk about it."

He shrugged, not bothered. "Alright, I'll be hangin' around if you do."

She frowned at him. "Don't you have a job to get up for?" she suddenly asked, grimacing. Sting was a fairly busy person, although she wasn't entirely sure on what he did. Something that paid well if he was in the same building as she was.

Sting flashed her a wide grin and said, "Yep. Don't mind losing some sleep if you were scared enough to be screamin' the floor awake though." He settled down further in her couch as her phone vibrated. She checked it and felt a stab of relief. Natsu had agreed to come, promising he'd be there soon.

"What exactly do you _do_?" She'd really not had much discussions with Sting, she was realizing. Quick "hello"s here and there, waves, small talk when she'd moved in and he'd offered his assistance only to be turned down. But they'd never had a full conversation.

Sting tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the chair, thoughtfully cocking his head. "I help people find other people." When she furrowed her brow, he said with a shrug, "I'm really good at finding things online, so I work with a lot of officials when people disappear and stuff, but I really like helping people who want to find their families if they've been adopted and stuff. I was adopted when I was little, and I always wondered why it was even necessary. Never found my family, but Dad said it was for the best. I was with him for a reason, and he was glad to have me there."

Lucy blinked in surprise. Out of all the things she'd expected, that had not been it. "That's such a nice job," she muttered, smiling a little.

"It's great," he agreed. "Kind of sucks sometimes, and it doesn't always pay well, but Dad made sure I was set to live nicely before he died." He paused, then said, "What about you? I know you're a Heartfilia and you make the rest of us look ridiculously low on money," she winced, not really appreciating that, "but what do you do most of the time?"

Lucy took a deep breath, putting her chin on her knees. "The Heartfilia Bakery in town. Magnolia's most famous bakery."

"I've heard of it," Sting admitted. "Never stopped by 'cause I figured it'd be weird."

"Not at all. My friends come by all the time, and I've got some great employees. Feel free to stop by whenever you want," she replied with a broad smile. Lucy tucked a strand of golden hair behind her eyes and added, "I like when people I know and like come by. Keeps the weird people away and gives me a break."

"I'll stop by soon then," he promised. "You got someone coming over? I'm getting ready to crash."

"Yeah. One of my friends is on his way over." Lucy smiled faintly. "You can head out if you want. I'll read until he gets here or something."

Sting eyed Lucy critically, judging whether or not he wanted to actually leave her alone. "I'll stay," he decided. "I said I would, so I would."

The pair chattered for a while longer, Sting looking sleepier as time went on. Lucy felt guilty for keeping him up at crazy hours of the morning, but was grateful. It seemed like ages had passed before there was a hesitant knock on the door. Lucy hopped to her feet and Sting climbed off the couch with a yawn, looking happy that he'd be heading to bed.

"Hey, Natsu," Lucy said when she'd opened the door. Her sleepy pink-haired friend blinked in surprise at the sight of Sting, who nosily leaned over Lucy's shoulder to peer at him.

Natsu furrowed his brow, eyeing Sting warily. "Hi," he said after a moment, confused.

Sting's lips twitched in amusement as Lucy introduced, "Natsu, this is my neighbor, Sting Eucliffe." Natsu's face twisted at the name, as if he was even more confused. "Sting, this is Natsu Dragneel." She arched a brow when Sting scrunched up his face, too. "Are you two okay? Am I missing something?"

Natsu squinted at Sting. "Dunno. Maybe. I've heard your name before."

"Likewise." Sting raked his mind for a few moments before shrugging. "Oh, well. I gotta go get what sleep I can. Come and knock if you need anything, Lucy." He playfully ruffled her hair and then ducked past Natsu, giving him a curious look before disappearing down the hall. Natsu watched him go before ducking into Lucy's apartment at her invitation. She nudged the door shut behind him.

"Sorry for calling you over so early in the morning," Lucy said, grimacing. Her nightmare seemed so ridiculous now that she was thinking about it. Well, not ridiculous. She fumbled with her hands as she faced him, feeling incredibly guilty. "I just...there was this dream, and it was...it was horrible, and I didn't know what else to do, since you were the only one I could think of to-"

"Lucy," Natsu said, cutting her off. His onyx eyes were stretched wide with alarm, his face full of surprise. "It's fine. I don't mind."

She fidgeted again, biting her lip. She didn't necessarily know if she believed that it was truly okay, but if he claimed he didn't mind...she wrapped her arms around herself and ducked past him, heading back into the living room. Natsu trailed after her, frowning and looking concerned as Lucy dropped back into the seat she'd taken while Sting was there.

"What happened?" Natsu demanded, and Lucy glanced at him in surprise as he sank onto the couch right beside her. He nudged at her with his knee when she didn't answer right away, and Lucy jumped a little, having not expected it. "C'mon, you dragged me over. What was it about?"

Lucy didn't want to think about it, but it flickered through her mind anyways. She remembered the broken cobbled streets, the sheer loss that had stabbed her it was so thick. She remembered the arms of someone else wrapping around her, trying to pull her to safety even as she screamed and screamed for the one person who was gone, the one person she'd never see again-

She didn't realize she was crying again until a choked sound bubbled up from her chest, and she pressed her hands over her face, shuddering. Natsu sat up straighter, anxious. He'd never been good at dealing with crying people. "Lucy," he said quietly, worried about her. Maybe he'd not been the best choice, maybe it would have been better if she'd called someone else…

But she'd called _him_ , because she'd thought he'd understand, he realized.

Lucy swallowed thickly after a few moments. "They're gone," she said, and something in his chest simply dropped. "I don't know who it is, but they're _gone_ , and I keep...I keep screaming for them, but they're _gone_ , and they're not coming back." She hiccuped. "This isn't...it's not like the dreams we've had before, where we miss people. This was... " Her voice quivered. "It was so much _worse_."

Natsu studied her, and not for the first time, Lucy realized just how important this strange man had become in her life. He was the only one who knew just how much these dreams bothered her. She'd not even told Gray. His face was expressionless, studying her closely, and she worried she'd done wrong in admitting it all, in asking him to come.

He'd called on her before, but…

"When you say gone," Natsu said hesitantly after a few moments, his voice quiet, "do you mean-"

"Dead. They were dead," she managed to force out. "I kept screaming for them. I...I thought if I screamed loudly enough... " She couldn't even name the dead person, couldn't even recall a face. She said as much and added with a shudder, "I can't...I can't deal with them anymore. If this is what my dreams are going to be like, I can't…" A hysterical sound escaped, and before she could say any more, Natsu dropped a heavy hand onto her head, patting it gently in a manner reminiscent of someone else. For some reason, the action reminded her of Gajeel, although she'd never seen him do such a thing.

It grounded her though, and Lucy latched onto his hand with her own, shaking. Her fingers trembled around his as she gripped it. He let her, looking more worried than previously. "Lucy," he said quietly, but didn't know what else to say.

So he sat there with her as she tried to recompose herself, let her hold onto his hand. When she had calmed down some, he rose to his feet, telling her to stay where she was. He disappeared into her kitchen, and Lucy found herself lifting a brow when he came back out a few minutes later with a cup of steaming hot tea in his hand. He looked so damn proud of himself for something as silly as helping himself to her kitchen.

"Here," he muttered, pushing it carefully into her hands. She was amazed he'd not dropped it. It was _hot_. She quickly set it down, shaking out her fingers, and murmured a thanks. He beamed at her. "You like tea, right? It's all you ever drink at the bakery."

Her heart twisted fondly. No one had ever noticed that so quickly. It had taken Gray years to realize just how much she cared for the hot drink. ""Thank you," she repeated, swallowing thickly.

"No problem," he said happily and dropped to sit beside her again, this time close enough that he nearly jostled her. She didn't mind. She liked his presence.

Silence, comfortable and loud, fell as Lucy waited for her tea to cool. When it had, she began sipping at it. She blinked, startled. He'd even picked out her favorite flavor. She felt another swell of warmth that nearly brought tears to her eyes.

Natsu Dragneel was truly amazing.

After a while of watching her sip at the tea he'd made, Natsu said casually, "I haven't had any like that. Dreams where people die." He grimaced at the idea of it. He could picture how it felt, didn't want to experience it. "I just get images of people I miss a lot, but they're always happy and alive. Especially the one person. The person who smells like starlight."

Lucy watched him as he spoke, biting her lip as she set down her tea. She'd heard him mention that one person several times with fondness, had compared that starlit person to the one she had always associated with a love so deep there was no way to properly describe it. The one who'd wrapped her in their arms and smelled of campfires. The one she'd screamed for, realizing she'd never ever get to feel that warmth, never get to hear their laughter.

Her heart lurched violently and Lucy took a shaken breath. "I hate them. The dreams. I wish they'd stop." He nodded his agreement, and she slid him a hesitant look as she added quietly, "But I'm glad I've had them. I wouldn't have met you otherwise."

The smile he gave her was as bright as the sun.

* * *

"Here," Lucy murmured, nursing near-burnt fingers as she pushed a steaming hot coffee into Natsu's hands. He'd stayed at her apartment for the remainder of the night, though she'd told him he didn't have to. He'd crashed on her couch in the end, and she'd been flustered when he'd prodded her awake, grinning at the fact that she, too, had fallen asleep on the couch, awkwardly sprawled out in the corner while he'd taken over an entire half.

"Thanks," Natsu chirped despite the black bruises beneath his eyes. He took a sip and she winced, imagining that it must have scalded him. He didn't seem to notice, instead glaring over her shoulder when the bell to the bakery rang and someone ducked in.

Lucy glanced back and grimaced when Gajeel stepped in, already bristling. "Look out," Lucy whispered with a hint of a sympathetic smile, already planning to deal with the situation for Natsu since it was technically her fault. Natsu glanced back, and then swore under his breath, holding his coffee in front of him for defense as he turned to face his cousin.

"Hey, Gajeel," Natsu said faintly, but he was having none of it, eyes blazing with anger.

"I dragged you," Gajeel seethed, "out of those homes when I turned eighteen because I _knew_ that Igneel would have wanted it." Natsu flinched like he'd been struck. Lucy awkwardly looked between them, unsure if she should leave after all. "I _knew_ what those places were like. I could have left you there and gone off and done shit for myself. I could have gone to school, I could have gotten a job, I could have _left you there_. But I know what would have happened if I'd left you and Wendy, especially you. I almost got sent to prison for you."

Lucy's gaze shifted between them again, shock crossing her features. What the _hell_ had gone down that Gajeel had almost gotten sent to prison? Still, she thought he was being unfair. They'd not even explained just yet.

But he continued, his hands curling into angry fists. "The only thing I asked you to do when I went through hell and back to get you two out of there, when I got that house at your little suggestion, was to not hurt Wendy again. She'd been through enough, and all I wanted was you to not make her cry. That was the _only thing_ I asked you to do."

His voice rose to a shout, and Lucy was grateful they were the only three in the bakery at the moment. "So why the _hell_ am I being woken up to her crying _again_ , because you decided you want to disappear in the middle of the night?" His entire body seemed to heave with rage. "You _know_ what disappearing into thin air is like for us, Natsu, so why the fuck are you doing it now?"

Lucy's lips were parted in shock, her brown eyes as wide as saucers. Natsu said nothing. He only pressed his mouth into a hard line and slowly set his coffee down, grimacing. Finally, he said, "I didn't disappear, I just-"

"You just _what_?" Gajeel barked, stalking closer. Lucy flinched when he jabbed Natsu in the chest with a finger. Natsu hissed, rubbing the spot.

"Stop it," he said angrily, voice hardening. "I'm an adult, Gajeel. I don't need you looking over my shoulder every five seconds-"

"You're sure acting like it!" Another jab. "You couldn't even leave a note saying where you'd gone? Do you know how long it took me to get Wendy to calm down enough to be able to worry about anything else?"

Natsu's voice lifted to a shout, a tone of voice Lucy had never heard come from him. "Would you just _shut up_ for a second and let me finish talking?"

Gajeel took on a flinty look and jabbed him a third time, earning a furious sound from Natsu. Lucy bit her lip, worried that she'd have to go and find someone in the street to break up a fight. "You couldn't even pick up your phone when I called. I almost called the cops! When you don't come back one morning, am I gonna have to go to a morgue and identify your body, too?"

Natsu's entire body locked up. Lucy wasn't sure what emotions flickered over his features, but she decided to step in, because she was fairly sure he was nearing a breaking point. Clearing her throat, she stepped around the counter and said softly, feeling guilty for even considering dragging Natsu out of his bed, "It's my fault."

Gajeel whirled on her and then paused, as if just realizing she was there. "Like hell it is," he grumbled, not daring to raise his voice to her. Her lips twitched. Levy most certainly had this odd man wrapped around her finger.

"No, it is," she said confidently. "I called him and asked him to come over. I had an incredibly horrible nightmare last night. I woke my neighbors up by screaming, I suppose." Natsu frowned at her, not liking that she was talking about something that had upset her so much to get him out of trouble.

Lucy smiled faintly at Gajeel. "I don't know what's going on, and...and why you're this upset, and it's really none of my business, but I'm sorry."

Gajeel frowned at her, debating whether or not to continue his rampage, and Natsu took advantage of the situation to warn him in a voice that sent worried chills down Lucy's spine, "If you yell at her, I'll end you, Gajeel."

The blonde snorted, though something told her Natsu wasn't joking, and Gajeel sent him a scathing look before turning his entire body to face her. Lucy was proud of herself for not recoiling from the amount of sheer rage turned onto her, and even lifted her chin, putting her hands on her hips. Beside her, Natsu's entire body seemed to tense, prepared to launch at his cousin. "I'm sorry for pulling Natsu out at odd hours of the night," she said dryly. "The next time Wendy comes by, I'll grab her number so that if it happens again, I'll let her know where he is."

And she would. She had no idea what had happened to them in the past, didn't know if she wanted to know, even, but she saw no issue with helping them keep the poor girl from having a melt down.

Gajeel worked his jaw angrily for a few moments before nodding curtly. He sent a piercing look at Natsu. "Make her cry again," he snarled, "and Igneel's house or not, you're done. I'll kick you to the curb."

Natsu took on a furious expression at the threat. "It's _my_ house," he began to snarl.

"In _my_ name," Gajeel said coldly, and then turned and left without a backwards look.

Lucy bit her lip nervously as Natsu slammed an angry fist onto the counter, giving a wordless growl of rage. "Natsu," she said hesitantly, "I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have called-"

"No," he snapped, and then grimaced. "Sorry." He took a deep breath to calm himself. He drew his hands down his face and then reached for his coffee again. "Gajeel gets pissed off really easily," he admitted ruefully. "Especially when it comes to Wendy. I do, too. Guess I was the one who did it this time, though."

She hesitated before saying softly, "You were an orphan?"

He glanced at her, then shrugged, making his way over to the table they regularly occupied. Lucy followed. "Yeah," Natsu admitted offhandedly, thoughtful. "Twice. We all were. Got adopted when I was little by Igneel," his tongue curled lovingly around his father's name, "and then he disappeared one day along with their parents. A couple days later, I guess Gajeel got called in to identify their bodies. No one knows what happened. Grandeeney and Metalicana adopted Gajeel and Wendy, too, by the way. We ended up back in the homes - in different ones for a long time. Wasn't the best place, so when Gajeel turned eighteen, he came and got us out. I owe him a lot."

Lucy furrowed her brow as he settled into a seat, grunting happily at the taste of his coffee. She casually slid into the seat across from him, glancing at the clock. They'd opened early; people would be coming by soon. "It's none of my business," she began, "but Gajeel mentioned almost going to jail?"

Natsu snorted and then moved the collar of his shirt aside, tipping his head. Lucy sputtered at the sight of a heavy scar that decorated his neck. "I got one of the older kids into trouble," he said, fixing his shirt. "He got pissed and tried to kill me with a shard of a mirror he broke. The home tried to cover it up, claiming it was an accident, and no one would listen to me. Gajeel showed up after I'd been in the hospital for a while, and when he found out, he got pissed and went after him. Got him to admit he did it. He's still in prison, I think." He glanced up and then stiffened. "Lucy-" he said in exasperation as she tried to blink back tears that weren't doing what she wanted.

"Sorry," she groaned, swiping hastily at her eyes. "It's just...horrible." And she'd complained about _her_ life.

"Yeah, maybe," he said, feeling bad about making her cry again. Before he could stop himself, he reached out with a gentle hand and used his thumb to swipe tears away. She stilled, not moving an inch as he did so. When she did finally shift, she nearly leaned into the touch, and Natsu lingered before pulling back. "But it led me here, didn't it?"

Lucy stared at him, her heart swelling as she once again realized just how amazing Natsu Dragneel was.

* * *

 _I wrote this chapter in like half an hour. Did NOT plan for anything that went down with Gajeel, but. I'm happy with it. Also, this chapter turned out surprisingly long._

 _Thanks to reviewers_ _(Lunar13, stranger1999, Guest #1, Lodemai04, KJacket, and Juvia is my spirit animal!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	19. Seven Deadly Sins

**. Seven Deadly Sins .**

* * *

" _I get the feeling, down below,_

 _It's coming back to take control._

 _It's like a fire, a stranglehold._

 _I feel like a criminal._

 _~x~_

 _One, criminal._

 _Two, animal._

 _Three, typical._

 _Four, breakable,_

 _Five, I can't find it…_

…

 _So I hide it._

 _~x~_

 _People falling into the seven deadly sins,_

 _Continuing to wander._

 _We struggled, wanting light, hear our wish,_

 _Surpassing all sin."_

~ "Seven Deadly Sins" by Man With a Mission

* * *

From the instant that Natsu set foot into the house he'd shared with his two cousins for years and years, he knew something was off. He wasn't sure what it was that made him think that way, but he could practically taste that offness in the air as he paused in the foyer, listening.

"Natsu," a voice whispered from the stairs, shaken. He felt a flash of relief. He should have come back sooner than the evening, he thought, feeling guilty when she gave a sob.

"Wendy," he said gently, and then grunted when she slammed into him, throwing her arms around his torso. He hugged her back, frowning. "What's wrong?" he asked, ruffling his younger cousin's blue hair. She stepped back to let him kick off his shoes, running a hand through her length of hair.

"Gajeel," she admitted, her voice quavering. "He wrecked the kitchen."

Natsu winced. "Is it because of me?" he asked. He wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. Gajeel was known for getting violent when he was truly pissed, although he'd _never_ take that out on Wendy or even Natsu - especially after the situations he'd pulled them from. He merely took it out on objects, or people who truly deserved it.

"That's the thing," Wendy breathed. "I don't...I don't think so."

Natsu stilled, folding his arms and reaching for something at his throat. His fingers hovered uselessly over nothing before falling. "What do you mean? Is he here?" he asked quietly.

"No," she murmured back. Wendy wrapped her arms around herself, nervous. "He left a couple of hours ago and didn't come back. I was…" She took a deep breath. "He was mad, 'cause you'd left again-"

"I'm sorry about that," Natsu interrupted. "I didn't mean to scare ya, Wendy. Lucy needed me."

Her lips twitched a little. "That's what Gajeel told me. Just...leave a note next time?"

"I promise," he vowed. "Now, what happened?"

"Like I said," she said as he made his way to the kitchen to view the damage. "He was mad at you, and we were having lunch. He was eating his sandwich…" She trailed off, shivering. "And then all of a sudden, he lost it." Her voice cracked now. "One moment he was just annoyed, and the next, he'd flipped the table, and-"

Natsu stopped listening to her when he saw the kitchen, stilling in the doorway. Gajeel hadn't just wrecked their kitchen - he'd _destroyed_ it. The door of the fridge was dented beyond repair and barely hanging on, the table in pieces. The glass on the front of the oven had shattered, and the door of the microwave had been ripped off. Dishes of every kind were shattered all over the place, and Wendy whimpered when she looked at those. Natsu squeezed her shoulder. Those dishes had belonged to Grandeeney before them. No wonder she was so upset about everything.

"Damn," he muttered. "You know what he was mad about?"

"No," she said and shook her head. "Just...like a switch. What do we do? I'm worried about him. I hope he's okay…"

Natsu ran a hand down his face. This was _not_ a good day. "How about," he said slowly, "you go get your shoes on? I'm gonna call Lucy, and see if you can go hang out with her for a while, and I'll go look for Gajeel. Levy might know something."

"I want to help you," Wendy protested, but he shook his head.

"No," he told her firmly, smiling gently at Wendy. "He'll get madder at me for letting you run the town and if he's mad enough to do this," he jerked a thumb at the destruction, "then let's not make him angrier, okay? 'Sides. Lucy's got good food all the time."

"Okay," she agreed. She ran upstairs to go get her things and Natsu withdrew his phone, not hesitating to dial Lucy's number. He put the phone to his ear, waiting, and then flashed a grin when Lucy picked up almost immediately.

"Natsu?" she said, sounding distracted. "What's up?"

"Are you at the bakery or your place?" Natsu smiled faintly when Happy suddenly appeared and rubbed against his legs. Lucy told him that she was still at the bakery, but would be finishing up soon, and Natsu nodded to himself. "Can I drop Wendy off with you?"

"Sure, I wouldn't mind some help with a few pastries before I head home," Lucy said slowly. "Can I ask why?"

"Gajeel destroyed the kitchen and disappeared off into the town. Hypocrite," he grumbled. "I need to go look for him and figure out where he went. I was gonna check with Levy at the museum first."

"Bring her here," Lucy said confidently, sympathetic. "I'll give her something tasty to help her feel better. And yeah, check with Levy first and foremost." She sounded firm about this decision, and Natsu trusted her enough to not question why she thought as much. "Gray's here, he can help me keep her occupied until you figure out where he went."

"Thanks, Lucy," he said quietly and then hung up as Wendy came downstairs, a bag thrown over her shoulder and a coat slung on. Natsu quickly put on his own shoes and ruffled her hair playfully. She huffed at him. "You can drive," he told her, throwing her the car keys. "You need the practice."

Despite her worry for Gajeel, Wendy practically glowed.

* * *

The bakery was lit up despite the darkness of night, and Natsu felt a swell of warmth in his chest as he and Wendy clambered out of the car. He paused to wait for his cousin on the curb, looking in through the windows. He could see Gray leaning against a counter, squinting through the windows as if looking to see who'd arrived, and Lucy was nowhere to be found. Probably in the back.

The bakery had become like a home away from home for him, Natsu realized. He was comfortable within it, and would have lived there, likely, if he'd been given the chance.

When Wendy was ready, the pair headed inside. The bell rang in a familiar way as Natsu pushed the door open, and he paused when the sound seemed to echo in his head for a moment. He furrowed his brow and pushed past it, instead scowling when Gray drawled, "Look who can't seem to leave." Natsu squinted at him; was that _concern_ showing on his face? And not for Wendy, either. Natsu couldn't imagine what he'd be so worried about.

"Gray," Lucy warned as she came out of the back. She smiled warmly at Natsu, and something in his chest twisted as she did so. "Hey there, Wendy! I hear you're here to hang with us...good thing, too, Gray and I could use your help with some baking. I ended up running a little behind and didn't have time to make tomorrow's special."

Wendy eyed her suspiciously, as if suspecting that the blonde was simply coming up with things on the spot, but then smiled back. "Sounds like fun!" she decided, dumping her things on the counter. She looked anxiously to Natsu. "Will you call if you find Gajeel?"

"I'll call immediately," Natsu promised, ruffling his hair. "Hey, Luce, Levy should be at the museum, right?"

"When is she not?" Gray muttered, earning a swat to the back of his head. Lucy rolled her eyes at Gray's attitude and nodded.

"She's there more often than she's at home," Lucy confirmed. She searched his gaze for a moment. "Call and let me know if you need some extra eyes. I'm sure Gray would be willing to help out if he can." Gray looked at her irritably for offering his help, but nodded reluctantly anyways, frowning and looking worried again.

Natsu tore his eyes away from Gray to say honestly, "Thanks, Luce," and then whirled away to head outside.

He felt Lucy's eyes burning into him even after he was long gone.

* * *

Natsu ducked into the museum without hesitation, hands pushed into his pockets. He'd been there several times now, all for his own sake. He found that the items within the building helped to clear his mind, and it was easy to avoid conversations with the ever so nosy Levy when she couldn't exactly see him. He just had to be quiet.

Now, he found that he wanted to find her. He'd not seen Levy since she'd brought those two strangers to visit he and Lucy. It hadn't been long ago, only two days or so, that Levy had brought Jellal and Meredy into the Heartfilia Bakery. He still wasn't sure about those two...but he needed to find Levy.

She wasn't hard to track down. He found her with the very two he'd seen previously, and Natsu faltered at the sight of the two of them. They were leaning over a case containing tattered pieces of cloth supporting an emblem Natsu knew on sight after being there so many times. Levy hung back, simply leaning on her cane. Various people went in and out of the area, looking at the different exhibits, and Natsu found he noticed far too many people for his liking looking at that odd scaled scarf that always caught his attention. That and the case displaying twelve golden keys and one black one.

Shaking off his thoughts, Natsu pushed himself forward. "Levy!" he called, snatching at all of their attention immediately. Levy's head turned in his direction; she was wearing the cloth over her eyes, of course, though this day she'd chosen a white cloth rather than the orange he tended to see her wearing. Jellal and Meredy looked very much like they had the last time he'd seen them.

"Natsu," Levy said in response warily. "What can I-"

"Has Gajeel been by?" he interrupted, not bothering to let her finish. He was panting a little for breath, he realized. "He threw a fit in our house and ran off." That didn't even begin to cover what Gajeel had done.

Levy sucked in a sharp breath. "What?" she demanded. "No, he's not been here."

Natsu swore, turning to leave, but was stopped when she said in a distressed voice, "You'll find him, right? You have to find him." She bit her lip until blood welled against her pale skin. "Natsu, please. _Please_."

The pink-haired man looked over his shoulder at the curator for a moment, studying her. Her face was pale, her hands trembling so hard he thought she'd drop her cane. There was something about her expression, even without the view of her eyes, that told him her worry ran deeper than just a concern about where he was. There was something else, something that was reflected in the silent Meredy and Jellal beside her. For some reason, anger built up deep within him. He didn't understand why, but he was _furious_ that they shared this odd thing and that he didn't know what it was all about. But rather than being rude, he nodded curtly, and then turned and bolted, frowning.

Just where the hell had Gajeel gone?

* * *

Natsu searched up and down the town of Magnolia. He made occasional calls to Lucy and Wendy so that the pair knew where he was. He wasn't sure why he did so for Lucy; she didn't have the concern that he'd up and disappear, then turn up dead. Not like Wendy did. Lucy hadn't experienced what they had, but he still made sure to keep in touch with her, feeling better himself that she knew he hadn't simply disappeared on her.

At one point, Lucy offered to send out Gray, maybe even call a few other people they knew mutually. Lisanna, Yukino, even her neighbor, Sting, who'd been so suspiciously familiar. _"He works as someone who finds people,"_ Lucy had explained when he'd blatantly asked why she thought he could help. _"It's his job."_

Natsu had considered taking up the offer to borrow Sting's specialties, but had denied the offer in the end. Gajeel would hate it if he showed up with a stranger in tow.

It seemed like ages before Natsu finally tracked down his cousin, and when he did, he was beyond furious.

He glared at the building before him, recognizing Gajeel's car in the driveway, and stormed up to the front door of the very house that had so long ago belonged to Igneel. He threw the front door open and bellowed, "Gajeel! Where the hell are you?"

"The fuck do you want, Salamander?" muttered a voice from the kitchen, and Natsu maneuvered until he stood in the doorway. The title struck a chord in his mind, although Natsu couldn't say he'd ever been called "Salamander" before. He squinted at the sight before him.

Gajeel was crouched in the kitchen, carefully sweeping up shattered dishes. His expression looked as if had been carved from stone, giving nothing away. Crimson eyes remained locked on what his hands were doing as he grunted in response.

Natsu, initially viciously angry that Gajeel had done exactly what he'd been yelling at Natsu for earlier that morning, admittedly began to lose bits of his anger when he saw that Gajeel's hands were trembling. So, rather than yelling at him as he'd been planning, Natsu demanded, "Where the hell did you get that from? 'Salamander?' You've never called me that before."

Gajeel stiffened and said gruffly, "Forget it."

"You made Wendy cry," Natsu decided to point out.

"So I'll fuckin' apologize," Gajeel said harshly. "S'not a big deal."

"Not a _big deal_?" A scowl appeared on Natsu's face, and he braced his hands on his hips, furious again. "You came into the Heartfilia Bakery and screamed at me for disappearing this morning, and then you turn around and disappear, too? What the hell, Gajeel? I left Wendy with Lucy and spent all day looking around Magnolia for you. Where were you? Levy didn't even know where you were-"

"Don't," Gajeel seethed, suddenly flashing him a dark look. Natsu was caught by surprise. Grief crossed over Gajeel's face, along with self-loathing. "Don't talk to me about _her_."

Natsu faltered again, that anger vanishing once more. "You need to call her," Natsu warned, deciding to let it go. "She's worried." Not that he had any room to talk. He'd avoided Lucy for a good long while not too long ago. He paused, and then added with a frown, "And you should check in with her. These two weirdos she seems to know have been hanging around, but Lucy has no idea who they are." He was rambling now. He didn't know what to do with Gajeel.

A low meow suddenly caught their attention and Gajeel glanced over to see his cat weaving carefully among broken glass towards him. Gajeel's gaze flickered as Pantherlily settled into a crouch beside him, peering up at him with intelligent dark eyes, the scar on his face stark against his dark fur. It was the scar that had made Gajeel pick him, Natsu remembered. When the trio had gone out, agreeing that they wanted one cat, Gajeel had come across Pantherlily and immediately declared they were getting him. Wendy had whined about wanting her own pretty white feline until Gajeel had decided she could get her own cat, leaving Natsu to pick out the oddball of the three.

 _"He's a fighter,"_ Gajeel had told Wendy when she'd asked him why he was so intent on the dark-furred cat. _"Like us."_

Reluctantly, Gajeel dropped a hand gently over Pantherlily's head and smoothed it over his ears. He purred. "Hey, Lil'," he murmured.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, Gajeel said roughly, "Wendy's over at the bakery?"

"Lucy had her help them - Gray was there, too - make some extra pastries or something for tomorrow." Natsu folded his arms, leaning against the doorframe with a frown. He hesitated, and then said, "And I _am_ sorry. For disappearing last night." He didn't know if it was the reason Gajeel was behaving so oddly. But he thought it would help. As much as Gajeel and Natsu bickered, Gajeel was one of the very few remaining members of his family, and Natsu was determined to make sure he didn't lose him.

Gajeel tensed again, going back to sweeping up glass. Finally, he said after some more silence, "It's fine. Don't do it again."

Natsu didn't believe him; Gajeel was notorious for holding grudges. But still, he vowed, "I won't." Natsu took a deep breath, feeling a lot better now that everything had been figured out. "I'm gonna go pick up Wendy. I'll be back later." He fished in his pocket for his keys as he turned to leave, but paused and looked over his shoulder when Gajeel spoke, catching him by surprise.

"Who are the two hangin' with Levy?" His voice seemed to grow hoarse at her name, tongue curling around the name fondly at the same time that he looked like he wanted to never say it again.

Natsu shrugged. "Like I said, Lucy doesn't know 'em, and she and Levy've known each other a long time. Lucy said it was weird that someone like that would just show up. There names are Meredy and Jellal." He touched his pink hair thoughtfully with his fingers. "One's got my color of hair. Little darker, but still. Was weird. No one has pink hair." Shrugging, he ducked out without further words about the matter.

Gajeel watched him go, mouth pressed into a hard line, and then turned his attention back onto Pantherlily, scratching the cats ears. "The fuck are we gonna do, Lily?" he muttered.

The cat merely blinked up at him.

* * *

Natsu frowned up at the bell attached to the Heartfilia Bakery's door as he stepped in, annoyed with the way it seemed to echo in his head. Shrugging it off, he took a quick look around, and then stepped forward, heading around the counter with familiarity when he heard voices in the back.

The kitchen in the bakery was rather expensive-looking. Lucy hired special cleaners to come in, or something, he'd been told. She liked to keep it clean, neat, and up to date. His lips quirked, however, when he found Lucy and Wendy's fronts covered in flour, dough, and even what looked like some kind of chocolate frosting. Luckily, both had donned aprons to protect their clothes, although it had done nothing for the sleeves of Wendy's shirt.

Gray was nowhere to be found, he noticed immediately, and cleared his throat to catch their attention.

Lucy immediately looked up, and flashed him a smile that made his heart skip a beat in his chest. His face heated a little, and he swallowed thickly as he pushed back a sudden warmth that filled him. Lucy, however, seemed to have caught notice and smiled even wider, mischievous. "Hey, Natsu," she said happily.

Wendy stared at him with wide, anxious eyes. "Did you find Gajeel?"

"Yep," Natsu said, popping the 'p.' Wendy dropped the dough in hand with relief. "He's at home, cleaning up. We're gonna be eating take out or something until we can get some new appliances though. I don't think insurance covers his temper."

"That bad, huh?" Lucy hummed, clapping her hands to try and get rid of the flour she'd been laying out. A cloud rose about them. She wrinkled her nose. "Well, Wendy and I are in the middle of this...want to help? We could get it done faster, so you two can get on your way."

Natsu nodded eagerly, stepping forward and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. "Sure," he said, more than willing to help Lucy.

"Let me go get you an apron," she said, pleased. She stepped around the counter, playfully elbowing him as she slid past. Natsu watched her head into a backroom, a door shutting behind her, and then snapped his head around when Wendy slyly spoke.

"You like Lucy, don't you?" she said, smiling as she rolled some dough on the counter she'd been working at.

Natsu felt that heat swell in his cheeks. "Shut up!" he hissed.

"You're not denying it," Wendy sang softly, still rolling. She looked up briefly from her work to give him a sharp look that caught him by surprise. "You should ask her out if you like her that much. Seriously. There's no point in making yourself not if you do."

Natsu frowned at his cousin, a little taken aback by the serious tinge to her tone. "I don't want it to be weird if it doesn't work out," he grumbled. He'd not truly considered the matter until then. He'd known he was fond of Lucy, more so than any other friend, and he'd not gotten the feeling of her skin against his fingers out of his head all day. He'd even wondered what the feel of her lips would be like.

His flush faded as he silently admitted something that hurt him a little.

And Lucy wasn't _her_. Lucy wasn't the one who smelled of starlight, and he logically knew that it was impossible that he'd ever find that person who meant so much despite the fact that he knew nothing about her. But she couldn't compare. Not that he'd ever say such a thing aloud.

She wasn't the one who smelled of starlight, and he wouldn't make her live up to that. She was too important to him to even considering being so cruel.

"Well, I think she likes _you_ ," Wendy said with a shrug, still working. Natsu gaped at her. She began to flatten the dough out. "A _lot_. And you need someone, I think. Not like me or Gajeel, or a friend. You need someone to take care of you." He opened his mouth to protest, that he could care for himself, _thank you very much_ , but she continued as if he hadn't. "And you need someone who you can take care of. I won't be around forever, you know." She glanced back. "I want to travel when I get out of school. You need someone you can take care of, Natsu, and someone who can return the favor when you're not thinking straight. And I think Lucy is that person."

"Since when did you get so wise and all-knowing?" Natsu grumbled, heart squeezing at the idea of Wendy leaving.

Rather than answering, Wendy merely hummed as Lucy came back, a black apron in hand. "Here," Lucy said when she stood before him, offering the apron. A teasing look appeared on her face. "I assume you know how to put it on, Mr. Dragneel?"

Natsu plucked it from her fingers, leaning in just as playfully, pushing away the conversation he'd had with his cousin. "I think I can manage, Miss Heartfilia."

Lucy made a face at her surname, but said nothing of it, merely pointed him to the oven. "You can get the previous batch out."

* * *

 _Sorry about the massive wait! Lost some inspiration/didn't know what I wanted to do with the chapter, but here we are. I'll be trying to update more often. I've figured out a major plot point I'm eager to get to, and one that will excite everyone eventually I'm sure. ;)_

 _Reviews are still a little out of whack from me re-writing, but thank you so much to all of those who reviewed, favorited, and followed! I appreciate it! :D_


	20. Broken

**. Broken .**

* * *

" _These aren't my people,_

 _These aren't my friends._

 _She grabbed my face, and that's when she said,_

 _~x~_

' _I like that you're broken,_

 _Broken like me._

 _Maybe that makes me a fool._

 _I like that you're lonely,_

 _Lonely like me._

 _I could be lonely with you.'"_

~ "Broken" by lovelytheband

* * *

"Here you are," chirped a cheerful Lisanna, placing the cup of coffee into his hands, and Gajeel shifted uncomfortably, refusing to look at her face. "Free, on the house. Lucy said so." She nodded her head towards the blonde, who was halfway up a ladder with Yukino anxiously holding it in place. Fixing a sign, he thought. And being nosey, it looked like. She kept looking over her shoulder at him, her dark eyes curious and worried in a way that told him she'd either talked with Levy, who he'd not spoken to in days, or Natsu. He was willing to bet the latter.

There was barely a day they didn't see one another, and Natsu would spill any secret if Lucy merely batted her pretty eyes at him.

"Thanks," Gajeel muttered. He didn't bother to say anything else, turning on his heel and bringing the to-go cup to his mouth. It scalded his tongue and throat, but he didn't care, using the bitter taste of black coffee to try and force his thoughts away. He could have gone anywhere else. To an actual coffee shop that sold coffee, rather than this bakery full of people that shouldn't have been there.

Yet he'd gone there, because at the same time that he wanted to not see everyone...he wanted to see them.

It was a harsh combination that he couldn't figure out. He thought it was like someone had ripped a rug out from under him. The world was still the same. The people who'd been there the day before were still there. He was still there. Metalicana was still gone. He was still a student at a university, aiming to someday re-open the shop his father had once so proudly run.

Yet…

It was different.

People were different.

 _He_ was different.

And no one else was. He scrubbed a hand down his face as he walked down the street, unsure of what to do. His fingers wrenched almost painfully at the studs that resided there. No one else he'd come across seemed to know what to do. Metalicana would have known; he'd always known. And he was gone, long dead. How, no one knew.

He'd considered Levy as an option. She held that same odd feeling of simple _knowing_ that Metalicana had exuded whenever he'd looked upon Gajeel. And there was no way in hell that she'd just randomly developed friendships like Natsu had described with people like Meredy and Jellal out of the blue. Lucy had known Levy for years, Natsu had said, and she'd not known a thing about the pair.

But what if she didn't? He didn't want to risk his little half-developed relationship with the shrimp because he'd thought something existed when it didn't.

Another stab of confusion flashed through him. She wasn't the Levy that he so clearly remembered now. She wasn't the one who he'd sacrificed himself for time and time again. He'd dreamed of that last moment, the last one he could remember, when things had gone so very wrong. He remembered the way that she'd been held back, screaming as he'd said his farewells to her.

As he'd admitted that he had hoped for a family with her.

It killed him. It _killed him_ that she wasn't the same one yet looked so similar. It pissed him off, too. Because he knew that the second he looked at her now, he'd want to yell at her for trying to be someone she so very clearly wasn't, yet at the same time so very clearly was despite the fact that she couldn't see anything.

Gajeel wished he could go back to before this had all gone down. Wished he'd never sat down for a cranky lunch with Wendy after yelling at Natsu that morning. Wished he'd never even gone to yell at Natsu. He was pretty damn sure that was what had triggered it

"Hey! Gajeel!"

He was confused by the shout of his name, and immediately looked back. He nearly dropped his coffee when he saw none other than Lisanna squeezing through the people striding this way and that on the sidewalk to catch up with him. His lips quirked into a smirk despite his bad mood when she puffed her cheeks up and just started pushing, jogging when people finally made way. When she reached him, Lisanna was panting for breath.

"Gajeel!" she repeated with a wheeze, and he lifted his pierced brows.

"S'my name," he muttered. "Don't wear it out."

She rolled her eyes and then studied his face closely, making him uncomfortable. Out of all of the people he'd expected to end up in a conversation with, Lisanna Strauss was not it. He couldn't remember ever having been overly good friends with her. Now or then.

Her expression suddenly softened, her wide blue eyes gentle. "It's good to see you again."

This time, he really did drop his cup of coffee. It struck the pavement. "Huh?" he said oh-so-smartly, unable to believe what he'd just heard. She squawked at the coffee that had splattered her feet and stained her shoes, but he didn't care. Instead he squinted his crimson eyes at her. "Hold on just a fuckin' second. You remember?"

A wicked grin appeared on her face, completely in contrast with the look she'd worn a few moments beforehand. "Of course. My brother and sister, too. We started remembering years ago, when we first ended up in Magnolia." She rocked back on her heels, folding her hands behind her back, ignoring a few people that bustled past. She waited until the area calmed down before saying, "Did you not think it was entirely coincidence that we ended up working in a bakery named 'Heartfilia Bakery'?"

Gajeel grunted, not entirely sure. "Complete coincidence that everyone else is around here, ain't it?"

"...you've got a point there." Lisanna winced. "Most people are here by coincidence. We've been trying to figure out who remembers, too, but it's kind of difficult...we think Gray _might_ remember, but aren't entirely sure."

Gajeel fought the urge to twitch at the familiar name. It was so strange, hearing people he knew existed in the same town - and had existed in the same town before, completely different. He considered asking if she knew about Levy, but instead grunted, "Juvia?" He'd thought about her, too. He'd never said it aloud, but she'd been a good friend to him - before anyone else had begun to warm up.

"She's not in town," Lisanna admitted, "but no. She doesn't remember. You'd think she did from the way she latched onto Gray though. They came across each other when Gray and Lyon were teaching some people about hiking in the mountains or something like that. Natsu and Lucy don't, but…" She shrugged. "Mira's bet that they'll remember eventually. The way they interact...you've seen it."

If Natsu and Lucy played around for much longer, Gajeel would crack their heads together until they did. It was pissing him off, seeing Natsu dancing around even worse than the last time.

Whatever that meant.

A huff left Gajeel, frustration flashing through him. He couldn't figure out what he was thinking and it frustrated him beyond belief. He just wanted to go back to the peace that came with _not_ knowing.

"Have you seen Levy?" Lisanna suddenly asked softly. She furrowed her brow. "I guess you have since you're dating and all." Gajeel's gaze snapped to her. "Mira and I can't figure her out. If she remembers or not. We're leaning more towards the side that she does, but then she'll say or do something, and…" Lisanna shook her head, looking back up to him. One look at his guilty face made her grin. "You're avoiding her, aren't you?"

"How about you mind your own damn business," complained Gajeel under his breath. He gritted his teeth as Lisanna pointedly looked at him, waiting for a response. _Fine._ "Yeah," he muttered. "'Cause it's not the same."

"Mira and I thought that way for a long time," Lisanna said sympathetically. "Seriously, Gajeel, talk with Mira. She's in the same boat as you if Levy doesn't remember." Gajeel sent her an inquisitive glance, cocking a brow, and she smiled sorrowfully. "We found the Dreyars. Laxus doesn't remember either, but...I think there was enough that they're together. Even if Laxus is gone a lot."

"What about Makarov?" Gajeel asked, voice sharp.

Lisanna said nothing and despite not having remembered the old man until recently, Gajeel felt a stab of grief. Makarov had given him a chance when no one else would have considered doing so and because of that, he'd found himself with something he'd never expected to have: a family, albeit a family that was now in pieces.

Moving on hastily, Lisanna glanced back over her shoulder and said, "I know it sucks, Gajeel, but seriously. You and Levy...you looked happy when you stopped by together." Gajeel glowered at her, not at all pleased that she was clearly trying to push him towards something he was incredibly uncertain about. "Don't let something you didn't expect stop you from being happy, Gajeel." She smiled kindly. "I have to get back, but think on it, okay? It was good to see you." She waved, and then took off for the bakery without a backwards look.

Gajeel watched her go and then dropped his chin so his eyes rested on the coffee that he'd dropped. Slowly, he stooped and scooped up the empty cup and frowned at it, pierced brows drawn downward. "What the fuck just happened?"

* * *

 _Clack, clack, clack_. The cane in her hand hit the ground repeatedly in a constant rhythm as she paced through the museum, double checking as she closed it down. She was a little wary about the fact that Meredy had disappeared earlier in the day - something about going to find Ultear. She was, after all, a thief in a museum full of incredibly valuable artifacts.

Jellal had thought otherwise, however. _"She won't steal anything here,"_ he'd promised quietly as he'd zipped up his coat. _"She knows not to. I'm going to see if I can find Erza...even if she doesn't remember, seeing her would be pleasant."_

Which was how, for the first time in some time, Levy was alone. She'd let them stay in her apartment, aware that it was probably an odd thing to do when she'd basically only met them under a month ago, but she trusted them enough. She'd worked alongside them, knew them. They were trustworthy.

 _Clack, clack, clack_. Her cane struck something hard. A wall, she noticed when she reached out with her fingers, brushing them over the stone. She fumbled carefully alongside it to flip a series of switches down. She couldn't tell if the lights were off, but she trusted other curators who'd told her that the lights were off when they came in during the morning.

Normally, Levy would have lingered in the museum until late, but she didn't want to remain among the reminders that night. Lucy had been distant as of late, sticking around Natsu more often than not. Not that Levy would have discouraged it. She hoped that they were happy together. They deserved it. Others had dragged her mood down, however, too. Gray still wouldn't speak with her. She didn't know who outside of he, Jellal, and Meredy remembered. She'd still not found her two friends from the old days, her teammates.

And then there was Gajeel, who she found she missed dearly. So much so that her heart ached. He'd not come around in days, though Natsu, who'd also been avoiding the museum and her, had been kind enough to let her know he was okay and just in a bad mood about something.

Levy raked a hand through her blue hair and then headed for her office. It didn't take her long to get her things and then she was stepping outside, locking the door behind her. She started across the way, having taken the path enough times that she wasn't all too concerned about where she was going. The last bus would wait a few extra minutes to see if she was coming, and she'd be there when it was that day.

At least, she'd thought she was going to be until a very familiar and gruff voice said, "Levy."

She dropped her cane, jumping, and swore under her breath. Rather than turning to try and find the source of the noise, she knelt, reaching around to try and find her damn cane. She was going to ditch it, she thought crossly. She wanted to get something that wasn't going to disappear…a service animal, perhaps, would be more beneficial…

There was a snort, and then her cane was being pressed into her fingers. "Gajeel," she said stiffly, realizing she was angry with him for not coming around sooner. Or letting her know at least that he wouldn't. He'd always let her know when he'd be gone for extended periods of time in the past -

But, she supposed, forcing herself to lose that thought, this wasn't the past.

This was the present, and everyone was completely different than what she remembered - while scarily similar at the same time.

She waited until she was balanced on her feet before squaring her shoulders and saying, deciding there was no point in keeping up her agitation, "Are you alright? You haven't called or anything." She bit her lip; she supposed her issue was much like the one Lucy had experienced with Natsu not too long ago. Natsu had avoided Lucy after some rather rough dreams and Lucy had been hurt and angry about it.  
Gajeel let out a loud huff, and she felt rather than heard him shift nervously. It made her lips quirk up in amusement. He was _nervous_. He knew that he'd done wrong by not contacting her after Natsu had come racing through demanding to know if she'd seen his cousin.

Finally, he grunted, "M'fine. Just...had somethin' come up I didn't expect." There was movement as he shifted again, moving back and forth, and Levy lifted a brow, amused. Someone was _really_ nervous. Interesting.

She'd been worried initially when Gajeel had disappeared that he'd remembered, that he was reacting much like Gray had to the sudden influx of memories. Now...she wasn't sure. He didn't seem any different. So, she kept her mouth shut about it, her stomach churning. She wanted to outright ask, but didn't want to sound insane. Gently, she said instead, "I won't pry, but...you can let me know, you know. If you're going to skip out on a date."

"Shit," he muttered, sounding guilty, "I forgot about that."

Levy grinned. "I thought as much." They'd had one planned for two days prior, and she'd decided to go despite having not heard from him. At least the meal had been good, even if she'd felt a little lonely while eating it. "I'd also appreciate a little head's up that you're okay after Natsu comes tearing through saying you've disappeared."

It was so _awkward_ , she wanted to cry when he simply grunted again, seeming lost in thought. She let out a large huff, deciding she needed to get a move on if he wasn't going to get to the point. "I have to catch the bus," she said, gesturing in what she hoped was the right direction. She'd managed to get a disoriented thanks to him. "So-"

A large calloused hand gripped her forearm, cutting her off, and she paused, completely confused. "Hold on," he said firmly with a hint of alarm. She did as he asked, waiting. It took him a moment before he suddenly dropped her arm as if she'd burned him and he finally just said, a growl-like sound in the back of his throat, "What are you doing here?"

That had not been what she expected. To be honest, at this point, she'd been expecting a much more disappointing statement. Something along the lines of him not wanting to come around anymore, that he didn't like a person who couldn't see him. She'd not have blamed him, but still.

"I...work here?" Levy said hesitantly, caught off guard by his question. "You know that."

"I mean," he said hotly, annoyed that she didn't seem to be listening, "what are you doing in Magnolia? Why _here_? You shouldn't have been _here_."

"I live here? Gajeel, can you please tell me where you're going with this? I have a bus to catch, and…" She trailed off, suddenly frowning. And then she nearly dropped her cane a second time.

She'd not thought he remembered, but-

The last time they'd seen one another, before the first time at the university, they'd not been anywhere near Magnolia.

"Oh," she breathed, and a hysterical laugh escaped her, bubbling up from her chest. She pressed a hand to her heart when it skipped a beat. "You…" A sound of discomfort left him, and she immediately touched the cloth at her eyes. She was crying, she realized, and gave another laugh.

"After making one hell of a speech, you took a while to remember." A rush of air left him, relief evident from the way he relaxed just a fraction. He was still fairly uncomfortable though,she thought. She continued, her voice trembling, "I thought you might, with what Natsu said, but I...I wasn't sure, and-"

He made a low sound in his throat and muttered, "Lisanna said you probably did, but she couldn't figure it out." Levy's breath hitched in surprise. Lisanna remembered? She'd not even noticed, in all of the years she'd been working at the Heartfilia Bakery while Levy visited…

Gajeel suddenly spoke again, his voice angry, "What the fuck is going on? Why are we _here_? These...this isn't what should have happened. I remember what happened. I shouldn't be here. And I sure as hell don't deserve…" He didn't finish, but Levy knew immediately what he was saying.

Even after everything, the idiot didn't think he'd done enough to make up for all of the bad he'd done in an entirely different life. Fearlessly, Levy gently touched his arm, fingers caressing the skin there before she took hold of it. He stiffened, not entirely sure what to do, and she simply smiled kindly and said, "I don't know. I don't know what happened. I've researched it as best as I could. I don't know anything about what happened to allow such a thing, but…" She shrugged. She could name the fate of each and every person from before, but she couldn't tell anyone what had happened to bring them back. She looked at the past, not the present or future.

She hesitated, suddenly realizing that he wasn't pleased about the matter of him remembering as she was, and then said quietly, "You hate it. That you remember."

"It pisses me off," he grumbled in admittance. "I don't like it."

Levy pressed her mouth into a hard line, hurt, but not wanting to push her opinion on him. She thought it was good, that they'd all been brought back. But...it looked as if the one who she'd missed most was leaning more towards Gray's opinion of the whole matter. So, she let go of him. She stepped back, clearing her throat.

Better to accept it now then be hurt when he turned on her later. She still pushed that smile to her face, just as she did every day as the world moved around her, more blind than she, while she stayed in one place.

She licked her lips, and said, "You can think what you want. Hate it, like Gray, or embrace it full-heartedly like Jellal and Meredy have. They've searched the country for us, you know." She heard him grunt in response to that. "But it's happened. You can't go back."

She couldn't say she understood what the others were going through; she'd been born with the memories. She remembered her parents concern when she'd first began inquiring about the people in her head. The dreams. She remembered her mother's eventual rejection, disgusted with the fact that she was so odd and different when she'd pictured the perfect child.

She'd hated those memories for years, until she'd found Lucy. They'd marked her as different, something only furthered after she'd been blinded. But she'd grown to like the memories, reassured by them with Lucy's presence. And when Gray had initially come around, him, too. Neither had remembered, but she had, and knowing they were alive and happy had been enough.

Gajeel surprised her with a rather loud snort, sounding darkly amused as he said, "The fuck makes you think I don't know _that_?" She steeled herself against the rude comment, keeping quiet. "I didn't say," he continued after a moment, "that I hated it. Just...pisses me off. Can't figure things out. I just...known people, but I don't know people. They're not the same."

"But they are?" Levy finished, smiling lightly again, relieved. "Just because I've remembered for some time doesn't mean I don't still get confused," she added when he made a sound of disbelief. "I've just accepted it and moved on. There's people I can talk about certain things with and people I can't." She felt a twist of nervousness as she offered, "I know it's really confusing, and that I'm not completely whole in terms of what you've remembered," she gestured bitterly to her eyes, though she meant far more than that, "but...please don't leave." Her voice trembled, and she felt guilty for the selfish request.

"You don't...you don't _have_ to keep dating me," she added, faltering. "I get it that I'm not the other Levy." Just as he wasn't the Gajeel she remembered. He was someone new, and someone old, all at the same time. "But just...please don't leave completely. There aren't many people who remember, and Gray won't talk with me. Meredy and Jellal won't be around forever, and who knows when or even if Natsu and Lucy will remember."

She was just tired of suffering through all of this on her own.

Silence fell, and she furiously wished she could see for the first time in a while. And then a heavy hand suddenly dropped on her head. "Fuck it," muttered Gajeel, roughy messing with her hair and earning a squawk of confusion. "Just 'cause I don't like that I remember doesn't mean I can't hang around."

Levy's knees nearly buckled in her relief and she smiled shakily, even as calloused fingers gently skimmed over the cloth and the scars that had just barely been revealed by his actions. She knew instinctively he wanted the cloth gone, to see what resided beneath, but she didn't want to ruin the warmth of the moment.

She would tell him another day, she decided, leaning into his touch for the briefest of instances.

Finally, however, she straightened and said with a grimace, "Please tell me you have your car with you. I need a ride home."

Gajeel patted her on the head one more time and said, "C'mon, I'll drive ya."

Trusting him full heartedly, Levy let her fingers touch his arm and allowed him to guide her forward.

* * *

 _Gajevy-centric chapter, and then back to Natsu and Lucy dancing around like a bunch of idiots! Seriously though, the part where I wrote Gajeel wrenching his piercings makes me cringe every time I see it. I have a stud in my nose I accidentally yank on sometimes and it hurts like hell. I've pulled the stud out by accident once._

 _On another note that I think is important! There have been questions on if this follows BTL, and I'm here to say the answer: NO. This does not follow up BTL, although with the idea, I actually considered it for some time. This is basically if the end of the manga went to hell. Natsu is written out of existence, Gajeel disappeared with the Bloodman battle, everyone else was killed by Acnologia, etc._

 _Thanks to reviewers (_ _alexithynia, stranger1999, Lucy Yvonne, AlaskaHolmes90786, FairyTail9908, FairyTailBookworm, PinkFireandGoldenStars, and Lodemai04!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	21. Lead On

**. Lead On .**

* * *

" _I see you in my dreams._

 _Seems like you never leave._

 _You are but the blur in my eyes._

 _As I wake up through the night,_

 _Ten thousand hands can't hold_

 _This heavy heart of stone._

 _I feel it break like glass."_

~ "Lead On" by Phillip Phillips

* * *

She was eyeing the clock, a cup of soothing tea in one hand and her phone with an unsent text message o the screen in the other, when there was a knock on the door. Lucy sighed, already knowing who it was. No one else would come and knock at two in the morning after she'd awoken with a scream.

 _Again_.

Damn dreams.

"Come in!" she called softly, knowing her voice would carry in the otherwise silent building. She closed her phone's message without sending it and dropped it on the counter. She went to stand in the entryway to the living room and smiled faintly when Sting, who'd managed a shirt this time around, ducked in. "Hey, Sting," she mumbled. "Sorry for waking you again."

"You didn't," he reassured, grinning despite the concern in his blue eyes. He ran a hand through his hair, thoughtful. "I was working on a case, actually, and heard you through the walls...you good?"

"Yes. No. I don't know, it's the same as usual, so maybe." She knew without speaking that he wasn't going to leave anytime soon. It was mostly due to the fact that his laptop and some folders were tucked under his arm. She waved him in entirely and he kicked the door shut behind him, confidently striding over to drop onto her couch comfortably, as if he did it every day.

It _was_ , to be fair, the fourth time that month Sting had come over in the middle of the night. After that first time, he'd taken to adventuring over whenever he was awoken by her screams or just simply heard them. She'd called Natsu the first three times, but she'd hesitated to wake him up again. She'd seen him the next day the last time it had happened. He'd been exhausted, with shadows underneath his eyes.

Sting, at least, seemed to be mostly nocturnal, so…

She'd not be texting Natsu for that night.

She dropped onto the couch beside Sting. She'd started becoming good friends with her neighbor in recent times. "What are you working on? If you can tell me," she added hastily. He had confidentiality contracts on occasion, she'd been told the last time she'd asked.

Sting flashed her a grin. "I can tell you." He opened his laptop, displaying an arrange of windows and tabs that Lucy immediately wanted to close simply because of the amount of them. He seemed to know the content of each and every open tab, however, because he picked one with ease and scooted over so she could move closer to look.

The screen was, to Lucy's surprise, covered in a family tree. Sting tapped a name - the one that everything was branching off from - and said, "Sometimes I like to just look at random people's family trees, you know? I was looking at yours, actually. I hope you don't mind. I can stop if you want."

Sure enough, the name was most certainly Lucy Heartfilia. Lucy shook her head. "No, go ahead. It's fine. I'm curious." She studied the tree with more interest than before. _Jude,_ read her father's name and on the other side, _Layla._ Her mother was the only of the two to hold the Heartfilia title, making Lucy smile. Jude had married into Layla's family, after all.

She moved on, further up and up the family tree until there was no more recollection of who'd been in the family nearly four hundred years prior. "What happened here?" she asked, tapping the last date. "Why is there no one else? History goes back much further than what's there."

Sting shrugged, sitting back. "Most of the people who come to me's family history ends there. I don't know what happened, but that particular year just seems to be a fresh starting point for most." He tapped his finger on his knee for a moment, considering, and then admitted, "I looked into my own family. You know, that's how I got started. I told you as much. My biological family went further back than that, but my dad's family actually stopped almost ten years before everyone else's did…" He trailed off, suddenly frowning.

"Alright?" Lucy asked, concerned when he suddenly sputtered, looking alarmed.

"Yes!" he said, voice rising in surprised pitch. He lurched for the laptop, snatching it up, and Lucy sat back, alarmed by his behavior. He began clicking and typing furiously as he spoke. "I've been trying to remember...Natsu looked familiar, and I'd thought I'd heard his name before. I figured it was just around town, 'cause as big as Magnolia is, it's not _that_ big, but…"

"Aha!" he cried in triumph a moment later, spinning the laptop. A ridiculously excited look had appeared on his face, his smile so big Lucy thought his face would split in half. He offered it to her to look. Lucy leaned forward to peer at the screen, and then blinked at what she found.

The tree resembled her own, but seemed far more complex. Her family had been full of single children families for generations; this one was a complicated tangle of names. But Sting guided her through the maze, pointing to his name as he awkwardly craned his head to look. "I put this together _years_ back," he explained. "While following Dad's family. It was kinda hard, because his siblings had adopted kids, too, so I had to track down their names. Dad didn't talk with his family before he died, so I couldn't just go up and ask. It took a while, but I managed."

Lucy stared. For beside Sting's name and attached to one single name above each were four names, three of which she recognized: Wendy Marvell, Gajeel Redfox, and Natsu Dragneel. "You're Natsu's _cousin_?" she spluttered, completely unprepared for the revelation.

"I think we met a long time ago, just once or twice. When we were young," Sting said happily. "There's no way you could forget someone with hair that color."

Lucy giggled, admitting it was true, and then pointed to the fifth name. "And what about that person? Rogue Cheney? Do you know who he is?"

"No. Never found out. Skiadrum was Dad's twin though, so…" Sting shrugged. "I'm gonna do some research, see if I can get into contact with all four of them, see if their parents know about Dad…"

Lucy's smile faded slightly, sympathy taking its place. "Natsu lives with Wendy and Gajeel, Sting, and their parents all died a long time ago." Sting paused, blinking in surprise at this knowledge. "If you want to go into the bakery with me today, Natsu usually stops by at random points during the day. Wendy's sometimes with him, and Gajeel likes to come by with Levy, too. You could chat with them if you'd like. I'm sure Natsu and Wendy would love to hear that they have more family."

Well, she hoped they were okay with it. She was sure Gajeel would be rather uncertain, if not outright aggressive about the matter, no matter how much more decent he'd become after going back to hanging with Levy on a regular basis. Natsu would likely be just as wary, though more willing to put up with it and figure out what their relation was. Lucy was sure, however, that Wendy would be more than welcoming. The girl had confessed recently to her that she was happy that her family seemed to be growing exponentially.

Sting lit up with a wide grin and Lucy got the feeling he was beyond excited about the fact that he was going to hopefully meet the children of his father's siblings. "If you don't mind, I'll hitch a ride with you."

Lucy's lips quirked. "I'll be there all day," she warned.

"That's fine. My car's been towed, so I can't really go anywhere," Sting admitted, and Lucy squawked, sputtered, waving for him to explain. Still snickering, Sting fully did, and Lucy didn't think about the dreams that had awoken her that night at all.

* * *

The bell jingled above their head and Lucy thought it echoed strangely, frowning at it as she glanced over. She needed to get it looked at. "Hello, Mira!" she said warmly when she saw the pleasant looking silver-haired woman. She looked incredibly put-together for the day, her body clothed in a warm sweater-dress that was a dark gray and set off her hair nicely. "Working today?"

"Yes," Mirajane chuckled. She sauntered over to the counter. "Would you mind getting me something made while I put my things away? It's chilly out there."

"Sure," Lucy agreed, turning to make Mirajane's coffee for her. She heard her friend and employee bustle away to do just that. By the time she'd returned, Lucy had her hot coffee waiting, and Mirajane, already supporting an apron, smiled in gratitude as she took it.

"Thanks," said Mirajane, blowing on the steam before sipping at it. She hummed happily and then glanced at the content Sting sitting in a corner with his papers and laptop strewn around on the table before him. He was drinking a coffee himself, a half-eaten muffin nearby. "Who's that? We still have another half-hour or so before we open…"

"My neighbor," Lucy said, leaning her hip on the counter. "Sting Eucliffe. He's hanging out for the day and he's welcome to free things so long as he doesn't overdo it." She flashed her a grin. "Don't worry, he's fully aware you have a boyfriend."

Mirajane, however, was leaning close, purring, "And what about you, Lucy? Are you and Natsu dating yet?"

Lucy made a face. It was something several people had begun to hint at. Lisanna had teased her the day before. "I wish you and your nosey sister," she muttered, turning away. "Would leave us alone about that. It's none of your business."

She hadn't meant for it to come out so snappy, but it was enough to make Mirajane grimace and apologize. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I'm not trying to push you into anything. Natsu's your friend, and you're right, it's really none of my business." She offered an apologetic smile when Lucy glanced back at her. "We just...the way you two are together. It's like you've been the same soul cleaved into two people." Her smile turned soft as she cradled her coffee near her mouth. "I wish you could see how you guys interact, Lucy. It's absolutely incredible."

Lucy, trying to figure out if Mirajane's comments made her feel weird or a little touched, merely said, "He's Natsu," as if it was an explanation before whirling away, pretending she didn't catch the saddened look that crossed Mirajane's face briefly. She made her way around the counter, pausing to eye the floors, tables, and everything in between. It could go for a little bit longer without a cleaning…

* * *

The day went on and the bakery opened. Lucy and Mirajane worked together with practiced ease until Lisanna came in for her afternoon shift. Lucy would pause every now and then to check in with Sting, who'd wave her off without a hint of concern. He was fine in his corner.

It was nearly two when a cheerful Yukino whisked through the front door, a wail on her lips as she stepped through the door. "It's so _cold_!" she cried, earning some laughter from the regulars that greeted her a moment later by name.

Lucy grinned, leaning on the counter. Lisanna joined her a second later, giggling. "Of course it is, it's the middle of winter."

Yukino gave her a mockingly scathing look and then puffed her wind-chapped cheeks out before striding through the bakery. "Thank you for having the heat turned up a bit more than usual. I think we have another storm coming through this evening."

"Great," Lucy muttered, "I'll make sure everything's locked down good and let you know if the bakery will be closed in the morning." She straightened, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes and then grinned. "Anyways, did you-"

A loud commotion came from the corner and Lucy immediately looked over. Sting was staring openly at Yukino, a look of utmost confusion on his face. When he realized that everyone - including Yukino herself - was looking at him, a hint of red spread over the bridge of his nose. "Sorry," he said awkwardly, hastily going to work on picking up the plate he'd dropped. It hadn't broken - a miracle Lucy was grateful for.

Yukino's lips twitched although there was a startled, interested look on her face, too. She sidled closer to Lucy and Lisanna, not tearing her eyes from Sting. "Who's the newcomer?"

"Sting Eucliffe," Lucy said pleasantly. "He's my neighbor...he was hoping to meet Natsu today." She glanced at the clock. "I hope he shows up today." He usually did. It wasn't always the case, however, and she'd have to scold herself that evening if he didn't. But...she hoped he did. She wouldn't mind chatting with him, whether he scolded her for not contacting him when the dream had initially happened.

"He will," chuckled Lisanna, patting her arm soothingly. "He usually does." She turned to get back to work, but paused when she caught sight of Yukino eyeing Sting thoughtfully. "Everything okay, Yukino?"

"Yeah," Yukino said, finally tearing her gaze away. "Just...I think I've met him somewhere, you know? Sting Eucliffe, I mean. I can't put my finger on it, but I feel like I know him from somewhere."

From the puzzled look on Sting's face, Lucy was willing to bet her small fortune that he felt the same.

* * *

When the bell jingled again, it was Natsu and, much to Lucy's surprise, both Gajeel and Wendy with him. Gajeel had a bag slung over his shoulder, and Lucy guessed immediately he had work to do for his classes at the university. Still, it was odd to see him at the Heartfilia Bakery without Levy. Lucy rarely saw him if he wasn't near her.

She felt a smile spread across her face unbidden. "Natsu!" she called cheerfully. His attention immediately snagged on her and his face lit up like a firework. He waved back and then turned to Wendy. He said something to her and she happily nodded, bouncing over to an empty table. Lucy's lips quirked when she saw Sting's eyes immediately latch onto the small girl and then onto Natsu and Gajeel.

She'd direct Natsu over to him momentarily. She wanted to chat with him first. Lucy ducked around the counter, calling out the three's regular orders to Yukino with ease. Yukino looked fairly amused by the fact that Lucy knew them off of the top of her head, but went to fulfill them. Natsu jabbed his cousin away from the door so they weren't blocking it, and Gajeel huffed, muttering under his breath at the irritating motion.

"Going to class?" Lucy asked Gajeel politely, stopping before them with her hands on her hips. A warm smile was plastered over her mouth, pretending she didn't see the way Natsu suddenly lost his happy look and narrowed his eyes at her, studying her face.

Gajeel grunted. "No. Got some work to do in the libraries."

Lucy, not entirely unused to his attitude, merely inclined her head. "Good luck," she said simply. She blinked when he flashed her a wicked grin and went to grab his coffee, held out by Lisanna after she'd called his name cheerfully. Within a moment, he'd grabbed it and was ducking out of the bakery. "Someone's in a good mood," she said to Natsu. He didn't respond, so she looked over and found him full out frowning at her in disapproval. "What?"

"You didn't call," he said, pointedly poking the dark bags beneath her eyes with a gentle finger.

Lucy gently swatted his hand away, shrugging. "Sting came over, and I've already called you over a few times in the past month," she admitted. "You need to sleep, too, you know." She wrapped her arms around herself, pressing her mouth together in thought. "It wasn't as bad as the others. I mean, it was the same, but…"

The dream had been a little different than the others, actually. She could remember arms pulling her away, strong and slicked with blood. A voice bellowing in her ear, so familiar yet so different. A shadow falling over them, danger looming. Yet all she had been able to think of was the fact that the person who'd smiled so happily at her moments before, victorious, was gone. Never to be seen again.

That was all the same. The heartbreak, her own screaming, the being yanked back, the shadow.

The only difference had been the acceptance. She'd looked up, seen a massive winged figure descending upon the town, and had hoped that their death would be quick so that she might see the one she cared so deeply for again.

"Lucy," Natsu said, dragging her from her thoughts. He looked fairly unhappy with her, but it disappeared as he gently elbowed her. "Call me," he said firmly. "I told you to."

"I know, I just...you shouldn't have to be over every night of the week," Lucy sighed, shaking her head. "Still...thank you, Natsu." She briefly touched his arm, gratitude clear, and then nodded in the direction of Sting. "By the way, Sting's here." A look of annoyance crossed briefly over Natsu's features. She bit back a laugh. The same look had appeared every time he'd shown up at her door and discovered Sting was already there. "He found something last night that he wanted to talk with you about. And Wendy, if you two are up for it."

Natsu seemed to immediately move on from their prior conversation, much to Lucy's relief, although she had no doubt the matter would come up later. He was easily distracted, but his memory was like that of no other person she'd seen. "What? Why would he want to speak with Wendy?"

"Why don't you go find out?" Lucy suggested, chuckling. She nudged him with a wink. He blinked at her as she smiled widely at him. "I know what it's about," she added when he cocked his head questioningly, "and I think you might like what you find out."

"What is it?"

"Not telling!" she sang and then went to go get his and Wendy's order. She had yet to greet the high school student and wanted to do so before the pair were effectively snatched away by the impatient looking Sting. She grabbed the food and coffee, balancing all of it with ease. Natsu snagged the coffee from her, eager to help, and she offered him a warm smile. He furrowed his brow a little, studying her, but stayed quiet about his thoughts.

"Sting," Lucy called, waving him over as they reached Wendy's table. Sting scrambled to scoop up all of his belongings, wanting to bring them with him. She ruffled Wendy's hair gently in greeting, careful not to mess it up. "Hey, Wendy. How have you been?"

Wendy beamed up at her. "Great! I managed a good grade on the assignment we did for the museum Miss Levy works at."

"Good." Lucy waited until Natsu had taken the seat on Wendy's left and Sting on her right before taking the one between he and Sting, fully intending to intervene should, for whatever reason, Natsu get upset. She didn't think he would but figured it was best to be prepared.

"Hi, Sting." Natsu sounded a little sulky, much to Lucy's immense amusement. She couldn't imagine why.

"Hello," said Sting in response, his lips curving into a broad grin. He was practically vibrating. Lucy snickered, reaching over to tear a chunk off of Natsu's muffin. He glared at her, and she grinned back at him as she popped it into his mouth. Her bakery had made the damn thing, she could eat it if she wanted. It was like Sting and Natsu had swapped energy levels for the day. To Wendy, he added, "I'm Sting. Wendy, right?" She nodded.

"Lucy said you wanted to tell us something." Natsu waved between himself and Wendy, who set her tea aside to blink curiously at the man she'd never met before then.

"Yeah." Sting cleared his throat. "Part of my work involves tracking people down. Particularly for people who are adopted and want to find their biological families and stuff." He tapped a finger on the table. "I was adopted, so sometimes I'll look through my own information, just to see if I can find anything new about my dad or the people who had me initially."

Natsu, looking a little worried and agitated, shifted, reaching for his coffee. "What does this have to do with me and Wendy?" He glared suddenly. "You didn't look at us, right? You didn't look us up?" He turned that look on Lucy. "Did you tell him stuff, Luce?"

Lucy tried to not be too offended. She threw him a look. "Do you think I'd tell him anything, Natsu?" she challenged and he made a face, muttering an apology.

"She just mentioned your full name," Sting reassured Natsu. "And that your guys's parents were gone, too. I thought I'd seen you somewhere when we first met, but I couldn't remember where until I was thinking about my own family." A friendly grin crossed his face as he spun his laptop around, revealing the complex family tree he'd shown Lucy the night before. His blue eyes shimmered with a happy look that made Lucy smile. He'd mentioned missing having family the second time he'd come by and was grateful for the company she'd offered. "My dad was named Weisslogia," he offered, awkwardly craning his neck to see so he could point out names. "He was brother to your guys's parents. And we have another cousin somewhere out in the world, too, Rogue."

Wendy had gone still, her eyes round with shock as she stared at the screen. Natsu was just as surprised. He didn't move an inch outside of leaning in to peer at the family tree. He blinked a few times, and then sat back. "Wait," he said finally. "So you're our cousin?" Sting nodded and Natsu turned his gaze on Sting's face, studying him. " _That's_ where I've seen you!" he suddenly declared, throwing a hand up with a grin. Lucy, relieved, shook her head in amusement. At least he was pleased with the discovery. "I was going through Igneel's stuff a while back and found some pictures. There was one of us all when we were little. Wendy was tiny, but the rest of us were maybe four or five. Him, too," he added, pointing to Rogue Cheney's name.

"You didn't tell me and Gajeel that," Wendy said disapprovingly, frowning at Natsu, but peered at the family tree, too. A happy smile suddenly lit her face. "We should find Rogue Cheney. We don't have a big family anymore, but it'd be nice if we did."

Natsu agreed and Lucy watched the three launch into a conversation about how to find Rogue Cheney with a warm smile on her face. The smile vanished a few moments later, however, a stab of jealousy flashing through her. She didn't have this opportunity, she realized. She didn't get the chance to find new family members that had mysteriously disappeared some point in the past. Her family had been full of only children, with no uncles or aunts. It was just her. With her parents gone, it would only be her.

Not wanting to spoil the moment for those before her and knowing that Natsu would notice, Lucy silently excused herself. Natsu didn't so much as glance at her for once as she went to hide behind work, pushing a false smile to her face when Lisanna glanced questioningly at her. "Are you alright, Lucy?" she asked quietly. She'd known Lucy long enough to simply see past the fake smile.

"Fine," Lucy lied, "just fine."

* * *

When the day ended, the suspicion that a snow storm would blow in was proven correct. Everyone had long since left. Lisanna had taken Sting home for her earlier in the evening when she'd left, and Yukino had gone almost an hour ago. Natsu and Wendy had left earlier as well, chatting with one another about the invitation they'd given Sting to join their Christmas celebrations that night and how they were going to explain it to Gajeel, who was very defensive about how they celebrated such holidays.

Lucy thought about the incoming holiday as she fought to ignore the wind and lock the door to her bakery. The year prior, she'd had a nice day with Levy, but Levy...Lucy hadn't seen her much lately, actually. She'd been with the two strangers who'd shown up out of nowhere or with Gajeel or both had been working. Lucy rubbed at her eyes tiredly, frustrated when she couldn't get the key in. Things were just not going well lately, she thought, shaking her head. Everyone else seemed to be having a good time, but she herself…

She couldn't sleep and because of it, she found herself miserable and exhausted. She pushed the exhaustion away when she could. But as of recently, with two nights in a row...it was getting difficult. She didn't want to sleep anymore. Not with the possibility of having to watch someone she didn't know yet cared about fiercely disappear again-

"Lucy!" a voice called over the wind, a hand snagging her shoulder. Lucy jumped, the keys falling. A swift hand snagged them before they hit the ground. She spun around and found none other than Natsu beaming at her. The wind buffeted the side of his head, sending pink hair flying around his eyes, but he barely seemed to notice, attention focused entirely on the woman before him.

"Natsu," she said blinking. "What are you-"

He stepped past her to lock the door for her, and then grabbed her arm gently. "C'mon. You're gonna freeze." She let him drag her towards her car, and she narrowed her eyes, briefly wondering how he'd gotten there because she most certainly didn't see a second car in her parking lot.

"Did you walk here?" she asked over the roar of the wind.

"S'not _that_ cold," he said simply. She squawked in horror, and took charge. She shoved him towards her car, crying that he was an idiot who could have gotten lost in the snow that was bustling around their faces. At least her apartment wasn't too far away, she thought. Even that distance driving-wise wasn't going to be too fun.

Neither spoke again until they'd hauled themselves into Lucy's vehicle. Heaving for air, blonde hair sticking up in every which way, Lucy turned a glare on him even as she started the car, eager for warmth. "What the hell were you thinking, walking here in this mess? Isn't your place like twenty minutes away by car?"

"Had to think," he said with a shrug, "and I was gonna go to your place anyways, so I figured I'd just walk here and see if you were still there."

"Natsu. It's blizzarding," Lucy hissed, furious that he'd even consider going anywhere in the snow storm. "You can't just go places when it's like _this_ ," she jabbed her finger towards the window, "outside, let alone by walking." She scrubbed her hands over her face. She didn't have the energy to worry about him doing such things.

He waited until she'd dropped them to reach over and gently poke the bags beneath her eyes, calloused finger gentle upon her skin and slow so he wouldn't accidentally poke her in the eye. "You weren't sleeping," Natsu told her simply, "and you looked like you didn't feel well today. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

She stared at him for a few moments, her lips parted in surprise. A sound of annoyed distress left Natsu's mouth as he huffed. "Why are you _crying_ again?"

She slapped her hands to her cheeks, grimacing when she found that she was doing just that. "Sorry," she mumbled, flustered. She hastily swiped at her eyes. "I just...you walked through a blizzard to make sure I was okay." A broken laugh escaped her. "Only you would do something like that."

Natsu dropped his gaze nervously, unsure if she thought it was a good thing or not. After Lucy had managed to get herself under control, she leaned back in her seat and said, "The dreams keep getting worse," she admitted. "It's the same one every time now a days. There's this thing coming down to kill us, and then...and then I realize that the person I love most is gone." Her voice quivered and he shifted, thinking. "I'm screaming and screaming for him, but he's just...gone. And this other person's pulling me away, trying to get me to run from the thing coming to kill us, but there's nowhere to go, and it's just…" She shuddered.

Natsu glanced at her, studying her face, and then said softly, "What made it different?"

"I wanted to die," Lucy rasped, shaking her head. She pressed her fisted hand over her heart, trying to rid herself of the pain that seemed to echo through. Natsu's gaze sharpened. "I looked up at the sky, to that monster that was coming to kill us, and I was...I wanted it to come faster. I have _never_ wanted that." She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She was trembling, she realized, when she placed her hands almost forcefully into her lap. She wasn't going to drive for the moment; doing so would likely end up with them dead.

Maybe it was a good thing Natsu had shown up, with how distracted she'd been.

Natsu was quiet for a while. He sorted through the information she'd given him, his lips pressed into a hard line. He couldn't say he was too excited about what she'd said. Finally, he surprised her by reaching over and simply taking her hand, curling his warm fingers around her own and squeezing. "I wish you'd called me. Not just that idiot."

Lucy snorted softly, her lips quirking. "Are you _jealous_ that I called Sting over and not you?" she teased faintly and he sputtered in mock outrage just so she'd laugh. Smiling sheepishly, she admitted, "I scream when I dream like that. Sting hears and just comes over to make sure I'm okay. Please don't be rude to him about it, Natsu, I appreciate it." She didn't want to be alone after waking up from such dreams.

He rolled his eyes. "I won't," huffed Natsu. "But only if you _call me_." He stressed the two words. "Even if I can't come over, we can talk."

"Thank you." Lucy offered him a grateful smile, and he squeezed the hand in his own pointedly. "I will," she promised. "I'll call you next time, Natsu."

"Good." He released her, although she thought there was a hint of reluctance. Still feeling tired and stressed, but a little better, Lucy put the car into reverse.

"Buckle your seatbelt," she said firmly, craning around to pull out of the parking spot. "I don't want you breaking your neck in this weather."

"Yes, ma'am," chirped Natsu and did just as she said.

* * *

 _Was gonna use a Disney song for this chapter, but it didn't fit. Hopefully I don't forget to use it where I want it. Lol._

 _Thanks to reviewers (PinkFireandGoldenStars, Lodemai04, ThaDesperado64, stranger1999, AlaskaHolmes90786, and FairyTailxFanGirl!) as well as those who favorited or followed!_


	22. Always

**. Always .**

* * *

" _And I'll be there forever and a day, always_

 _I'll be there 'til the stars don't shine._

…

 _Now your pictures that you left behind_

 _Are just memories of a different life._

 _Some that made us laugh, some that made us cry,_

 _One that made you have to say goodbye._

 _What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair,_

 _To touch your lips, to hold you near."_

~ "Always" by Bon Jovi

* * *

"We're leaving."

Levy masked her shock with unsurprising ease; the only sign of her shock was the way that her fingers tightened around her white cane. "Why?" she asked warily, turning her face towards the direction that Jellal's voice had come from. She'd known that something had changed. He'd been quieter the past few nights - quieter than she supposed was normal for him. Meredy had been, too, although she'd been more willing to share why.

She'd seen Ultear, but it had been clear that Ultear had no idea who she was when she'd hesitantly approached. She'd been curt to Meredy, but polite, and Meredy had left feeling reassured that Ultear was, at the very least, alive, even if she'd not be having anything to do with Meredy. Jellal, on the other hand, had remained silent about what had happened when he'd been out not too long ago.

Jellal snorted softly, and Levy could practically picture a small little smile of amusement plastered upon his face. "We found who we were seeking," he said simply, "so it's time we move on." Jellal paused, and then added, "We're going to seek out others who might know, in other towns and countries. Try to figure out a list of those who remember and then, perhaps, help them get here. This seems to be a good place for them to gather. A safe one."

Levy considered that and then nodded. "Send them my way, if they do," she said simply, "and I'd be more than happy to help them, depending on who they are." She hoped no old enemies regained their memories if they were around; it wouldn't be good for those who lived in peace and had no memories to consider.

Meredy hummed and touched Levy's arm gratefully. "Thank you, for everything, Levy. Make sure you keep a close eye on those here who remember."

Levy nodded, realizing that when they'd said they were leaving, they meant immediately. "I will. Hopefully Gray will warm up eventually...I think he'd be a lot happier if he did." She shifted her weight from one hip to the other. "Thank you. For finding me. I'm so grateful that you did. It's nice to not be alone anymore." And even when they were gone, she wouldn't be. She had Gajeel. And they had plans for breakfast at the Heartfilia Bakery in a few days, where she fully intended to confront whatever Strauss sibling was there.

The pair bid her farewell, and Levy did the same, admittedly reluctant. She'd liked having them around, although she did have both of their phone numbers in her phone now. She turned to head back for her office i the museum, but paused when Jellal called her name, sounding fairly far already, much to her confusion. "Yes?"

"Keep an eye out for Erza," he said simply, and Levy knew without having to see that they were gone after that.

* * *

 _A soft happy sound escaped him as the person he had wrapped his arms around curled closer, mumbling in their sleep. His eyes never left the top of her head as he let her nestle closer to the warmth he offered, his arms tightening even. He would have surrounded her entirely, if he could have. Become a protective shield between her and everything that had ever threatened to harm her._

 _The familiar smell of starlight tickled his nose and he exhaled happily, a soft rumbling sound leaving his chest. It was entirely unlike any other sound he'd made, he couldn't help but think, but he didn't care. He was happy - truly, delightedly happy - that he was there. That she was, too. He didn't think he'd ever been this happy, even._

 _He wasn't sure how long they were lying like that together. He didn't really notice the passing of time, even as sunlight began to shine through the windows, dancing along her hair and turning it into a brandished gold that seemed to glow like the loveliest of stars. She grumbled, hiding her face further against him, and he couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face._

 _She always did this. Always tried to hide from the sun. He shifted carefully to help, trying his hardest to keep this going longer. But it did no good, only woke her up faster, and she finally huffed against him. He fought back a shiver when her breath kissed the bare skin of his neck. "You shouldn't be in here," she mumbled._

 _He snickered in her ear, not inclined to move even as he caught sight of a blush forming along her cheeks and nose. "It's nicer here." Well, that wasn't the only reason he came over often. But he wasn't about to admit that he couldn't sleep without being reassured that she was there. He gently wound his fingers through her long golden locks, heart wrenching. Never again, he told himself. Never again would he leave her._

 _"What aren't you telling me?" Her murmur dragged his attention back to her face._

 _"No reason."_

 _She huffed again. "Don't lie to me. Don't even bother. Tell me." She added quietly, "Please? You're not...you're not leaving again, are you?" Her arms tightened suddenly around him. "Please don't...or take me with you if you are."_

 _He opened his mouth to respond, his heart wrenching at the sheer agony in her voice. Did she truly think that he would-_

Natsu snapped awake, heart racing in his chest. A voice murmured in his ear, "Natsu?" as fingers gently and soothingly dragged through his hair. A comforting touch, one that he appreciated immensely. It took him a few moment to reorient himself. He wasn't in bed with the starlit girl he loved fiercely in his dreams; no, instead, he was half-sprawled in a chair in the corner of the Heartfilia Bakery. He'd dozed off while she'd gone to work for the first time in three days, perfectly content to relax while she fixed up the bakery.

Sunlight shone through the window, warming his skin. He scrubbed tiredly at his eyes, furrowing his brow. Lucy stood beside him, her dark eyes worried. "Are you okay?" she asked, and he blinked when she suddenly drug her fingers through his rosy locks again. He wanted to purr at the touch; even leaned into it. A small smile appeared on her mouth, and he realized he was relieved to see it. She looked as exhausted as he felt.

"Yeah," he said, voice hoarse. He cleared his throat and then smiled faintly at her in return. She paused, hand still resting on his head, and then withdrew a little, averting her gaze. He snorted in amusement at the flustered look that appeared on her face, but pretended he didn't see and rested his head back in his arms. His smile disappeared as he let his mind drift back to his dream. "Was a good dream," he murmured softly. "I didn't want to wake up."

He didn't explain further; Lucy didn't pry. Instead, she said dryly, "I wish we could switch just for a night. Or not dream at all for a few. I'm not going to be able to keep up with this for much longer."

"You slept okay the other night though, right?" He'd stayed at her apartment throughout the blizzard - having let Wendy and Gajeel know, of course - and had mostly crashed on her couch. He knew precisely how much sleep she'd gotten, and dared her to lie about it. Just as the girl in his dream had dared him to lie to _her_ -

He shook his head sharply to clear it. They were not the same, Natsu told himself fiercely.

"Yes," she said and slid into the seat across from him. She rubbed her temples. "I did. Thank you," she added, "for staying around for that long. I did sleep better with someone else around. Not as well as I would have liked, but better, nonetheless."

"S'not like I could go anywhere while it was snowing," Natsu snorted, but still beamed, proud that he'd helped her in such a way. He put his head back in his arms, sleepy still, and closed his eyes. Lucy smiled fondly and reached over to pat his head. "I'm not a dog," he protested without opening his eyes.

Lucy simply laughed, and the sound was one he immediately found he was extremely fond of. "Your hair's soft," she admitted. "And I like the color. It's fun to play with."

He snapped his eyes open immediately. "You like it?" he said, surprised. "Everyone thinks its weird."

She shrugged and leaned back in her chair. He watched every movement she made with intensity, eager to hear why. Her opinion mattered more than anyone else's. Everything about her mattered, actually, and the realization made something curl painfully in his chest.

Natsu found he cared for Lucy immensely. So long as she was happy...he thought he could be happy.

"It's unique," she said, meeting his gaze hesitantly. She suddenly looked nervous, and it made him want to tease her, although he kept quiet, simply waiting to hear what she said. He met her eyes head on, searching them as he listened. "And it's unique only to you. It's a part of who you are. I couldn't imagine you with any other color of hair, nor any other kind of hair style." She reached out, gaze softening, and tugged lightly on a lock that hung in his eyes. She proceeded to push it back, fingers skimming the strands happily. "Need I say more?"

 _Yes_. He almost said it. Simply because he wanted to hear more of what she thought. But she clearly didn't want to, so he shook his head. He continued to watch her in silence for a few moments, his mind drifting back to what Wendy had said - and what he'd thought in response.

Lucy wasn't _her_. Lucy wasn't the one he'd been pressed up against in his dream - the girl of starlight, who'd brought warmth. But she certainly filled that hole the girl left behind rather well. He couldn't imagine what life had been like before he'd entered the Heartfilia Bakery and met her.

No, Natsu thought. Lucy wasn't the starlit girl, but she _was_ real, and she was Lucy. He would never ask her to live up to that girl - just as he knew she'd never ask anyone to live up to the one she'd described to him as someone she loved fiercely, who smelled of smoke.

He liked Lucy. A lot. He liked the way she looked when she smiled just for him, the way she would check in on him every now and then when he was in her bakery, the way she fondly brushed against him whenever she was around. He liked the trust and faith she'd put in him, something he'd returned without hesitation. Lucy was different than everyone else, special.

Lucy would never replace that odd woman from his dreams, Natsu knew as she rose to her feet, her smile never fading, but she was special enough to carve her own place into his soul. And he was entirely okay with that. She turned to go back to work and Natsu swiftly snagged her wrist to stop her. She glanced back at him questioningly, arching a brow.

He responded by smirking up at her. "I like your hair, too," he said, and snickered when she turned red, muttered something under her breath, and rushed off, eager to brush off the compliment. Natsu cackled, amused with her response, and reached for his semi-cold coffee.

* * *

"Why are you always here?" Gray complained from where he was seated across from Natsu at the very same table several hours later. "Don't you have a job or something?"

"No," Natsu grumbled, glaring at Gray as the other man tipped his head back to drain what was left of his coffee. "I don't." He felt a little guilty about that sometimes, but...he didn't need one. Nor did Wendy or Gajeel. Their parents had set them up securely before they'd disappeared, which made it overall suspicious, Natsu supposed. They didn't have extra money a lot of the time, as the money that was released bit by bit every month was all they got from what was offered.

He'd been thinking about it lately though. He liked Lucy's bakery; it made him wonder what kind of shop he'd like to have. He liked the idea of owning his own place and doing what he wanted, although he wasn't sure what exactly he'd do.

Gray was quiet for a few minutes after setting aside his empty paper cup. He watched the busy bakery in silence, his dark eyes darting this way and that, following various people. Natsu watched how he'd grin whenever Lucy glanced their way, mocking her with playful faces. Lucy would roll her eyes but smile every time. Natsu felt a twist of jealousy every time it happened, but told himself it was ridiculous.

Lucy had other friends and she was allowed to do whatever she wanted.

But it didn't mean he had to like the ease with which she interacted with Gray - which was even more so than she did with Natsu sometimes.

"What about you?" Natsu challenged suddenly. "Don't you have a job or something?"

"I teach people to hike in the mountains," he said smugly. "On and off job every few months. It pays really well so I don't have to do anything when I'm not away."

Natsu bristled. He made it sound as if Natsu was wasting his time without a job or anything similar. He grumbled and went to work on ignoring him, wishing he'd go sit somewhere else. More silence filled the air and then Gray asked with a surprisingly peaceful tone, "Are you trying to do anything?" Natsu glanced at him, confused, and Gray clarified, "I mean work-wise. Are you trying to find something?"

Natsu shrugged. "We don't have to work," he said, not entirely sure why he was telling Gray of all people. "Our parents left us with enough money to get by for life if we wanted. There's not a lot of extra or anything, but it's enough to live comfortably. But yeah. I guess I've been lookin' around lately." He'd even looked into the museum Levy worked at, but had decided against it.

He had a knack for breaking things, and he didn't want to upset everyone in his vicinity if he broke some precious artifact.

"Have you thought about something with fire?"

"Why? There's not work that _goes_ with fire." Natsu arched a brow at him, curious. "I mean, I could go and volunteer as a firefighter or something, but the fun part is starting the fires." He grimaced a moment later. "That doesn't sound right. I don't like starting fires. Well, bad fires. I like bonfires and stuff, I guess, but-"

Gray snickered, entirely amused with his panic. "I get it," he interrupted. He rocked back, folding his arms. "Dunno what to tell you to do in that case, but...you'll find something."

"Thanks, I think." Natsu eyed him in confusion. Gray was giving off the weird feeling that Levy often did, that his cousin now gave off. Shaking it off, Natsu went to speak, opening his mouth to ask curiously if he could hear more about Gray's job despite his agitation with the other man, but was interrupted by the odd bell attached to the door of the bakery. It rung softly, echoing in his head, and he grimaced, rubbing his forehead when a throb went through his skull. He was going to "accidentally" break the bell, he decided.

He and Gray hung out for another hour and a half. Natsu never thought there'd be a day where he was content to sit with Gray, but Gray kept his mouth shut and so did Natsu, and the entire thing wasn't entirely unpleasant. Lucy even remarked about how companionable they were being that day when she swept by, affectionately smiling at them both. Natsu was too pleased by the sight of the glowing happy look on her face to protest.

Eventually, however, Gray rose to leave, yawning. "Better get going," he said, though natsu hadn't asked for an explanation. "Gotta call Lyon and see when we're heading out again. Keep an eye on Lucy for me, would you? Don't think I didn't miss the bags under her eyes. She needs to get some proper sleep."

"I've been trying," grumbled Natsu. "She keeps having nightmares."

Gray's lips quirked. "You have a cat, right? Lend her the cat a few days, see if it helps." Gray pushed his hands into his pockets. "Having company might help her sleep better. She's always slept better when someone else was around to keep her company."

Natsu didn't like the idea of leaving his cat with anyone for a few days, whether it was someone he fully trusted or not. But for Lucy… "I'll see if she's up for trying it." Maybe he'd ship Wendy off to her place for a few nights. Wendy had mentioned that he needed someone to take care of and that he needed someone who would take care of him in turn. Maybe Lucy was the same.

"Thanks." Gray flashed him a surprisingly friendly grin and then shouted a farewell to Lucy before he headed for the door. Natsu watched him go, even as Lucy came to stand beside him, watching Gray leave.

"He was friendly today," she murmured.

Natsu glanced at her from the corner of his eye and then looked back towards where Gray had gone, the door shutting behind him and making his head hurt when the bell jingled again. "Yeah...hey, do you want to borrow Happy for a few days?" She looked at him in surprise, completely confused. "Makes me feel better to pet him when I've had a nightmare. Might help if you sleep with him."

Lucy blinked, and then threw her head back and laughed. "Why not," she agreed, smiling warmly at him before going back to work behind the counter. "We'll discuss details later," she called back.

Natsu grinned and waved her off, sitting back to watch her again.

He'd have to thank Gray for this later.

* * *

Gray had fully intended to call Lyon, though he'd been avoiding speaking with him simply because it hurt to. He owed his adopted brother a call, and knew that Lyon would be a mixture of concerned and angry when he finally did. The two were rather close, he liked to think, after living under Ur's watchful eye for so long.

But that plan came to an end ten minutes later when he turned a street corner, number half-dialed in his hand, and nearly slammed right into a very startled woman. Gray recognized her immediately and froze. Erza blinked back at him in alarm, her dark eyes stretching wide. "Oh," she stammered, stepping back. "Forgive me, Gray, I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No problem," Gray said, clearing his throat awkwardly. He hadn't seen her in a while - not since he'd first remembered, although he'd heard she came by the bakery on occasion. He put his phone away, rubbing his head. His heart twisted painfully as he studied her. Erza looked anxious and upset, and was even fidgeting with her fingers, something he'd never recalled her doing in the past. Then again, this was a different Erza, he had to remind himself.

This wasn't the Erza he had known.

Still…

"Everything alright?" he asked.

She studied his face, exhausted, and then admitted, "No. Things have been odd for me lately." She smiled ruefully. "Though I doubt it's of much interest to anyone else as of this moment."

Gray squinted thoughtfully at her. There was something, something that reminded him of-

He stilled. The pain in her eyes,..it was exactly like the pain he felt, although somewhat dimmed in comparison to what he thought he felt about everything.

A gust of air rushed out of him. "You remember, too," he realized aloud, hoping he'd not made a mistake in understanding. She blinked, confused by what he meant. "You remember everything."

Erza blinked once, shocked, and then smiled widely despite herself, her eyes flickering with sorrow. "It is good to hear that someone else does, too," she admitted. "I wasn't sure what to think initially, but...I believe it is something I will learn to live with. I'm very pleased to see you again, Gray."

He hated that he remembered, but still. He grinned in response. "Same to you, Erza." He grunted when she dragged him in for a hug, the way she did so very like what she'd once done. He was just grateful she didn't wear hard plates of armor now a days. And, despite himself, he found that he was hugging her back almost immediately, arms tight around his friend. She squeezed him just as tightly, and neither minded that they were nearly suffocating one another in the process. Eventually, Erza stepped back, her fingers curled gently around his wrists in a friendly manner.

"The others," she began, and Gray grimaced.

"Lucy and Natsu don't remember anything," he told her firmly. "A couple others do, though. I've been told Lisanna does, and Mira." Erza looked relieved at that. "Gajeel, Levy, Jellal, Meredy. I think Lucy and Natsu might be on the verge of remembering." With the supposed constant nightmares they both had, they had to be. He felt a little guilty for hoping they didn't remember. He was just starting to figure things out like they were now...he didn't want another person popping up to screw his thought process up.

But it wasn't so bad, he supposed, standing before Erza. He was happy she was there, even, remembering everything that he did.

For the first time, he didn't mind the memories. Didn't mind that he was stuck with two lives in one head. It was actually kind of nice, seeing someone he'd thought dead in another life standing before him.

"I was on my way to the Heartfilia Bakery," Erza admitted. "To see who was there...would you care to join me?"

Gray shook his head. "I have to go and call my brother," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "We've got another trip out here in a few months - we teach hikers and mountain climbers and stuff," he added when she looked confused. "But you should definitely hang around the bakery. For some reason, it's like a gathering point for us that remember. And go to the local museum. Levy works there, and it has a bunch of stuff from before."

Erza nodded. "Thank you," she said politely before offering a small smile. "Perhaps we could get lunch sometime. You know Lucy in this time, yes? I'll leave my number with her so that she can send it to you."

"Sounds good." Gray flashed her a final grin. "See ya later, Erza."

She responded with a warm smile in turn. "I believe you will," she murmured, and then continued on her path to the Heartfilia Bakery.

Gray watched her go and pushed a hand through his dark hair, grimacing. Maybe the memories weren't as bad as he'd thought they were…?

* * *

 _Erza! And some cute moments. I'm working my way towards some Nalu, and then we can have a moment I've been waiting to write. ;)_

 _Thanks to reviewers_ _(itsxoi, stranger1999, LePengwen, and Multiphandomaltrash!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	23. Jump Then Fall

**. Jump Then Fall .**

* * *

" _I like the way you sound in the morning._

 _We're on the phone, and without a warning,_

 _I realize your laugh is the best sound_

 _I have ever heard._

 _~x~_

 _I like the way I can't keep my focus._

 _I watch you talk, you didn't notice._

 _I hear the words, but all I can think is_

 _We should be together._

 _Every time you smile, I smile,_

 _And every time you shine, I'll shine for you."_

~ "Jump Then Fall" by Taylor Swift

* * *

As the weeks danced past, Natsu grew more and more concerned about Lucy. Winter began to fade away, but Lucy looked as if she'd been standing out in the cold for weeks as she trudged into the kitchen. It had been another rough night for her, he knew. It was more often than not a rough night for Lucy Heartfilia, actually. He felt horrible about it - mostly because he found that he was having the most pleasant dreams.

She blinked at the sight of him standing in her kitchen, already halfway through a cup of coffee he'd prepared in her coffee machine. "When'd you get here?" she demanded, squinting at him. Deep dark shadows were resting beneath her eyes, he noticed with a frown. He didn't like that at all.

He beamed at her. "Sting said you kept waking up and he could hear you but had to be up, so I climbed in through your window. You should really lock them." He paused, then added, "Happy's here, too." Happy had offered some helpfulness during his trial period, though it had faded off. He paused and then hastily said, "I made you coffee," in the hopes that Lucy wouldn't be too angry with him for breaking in.

But she said nothing, merely sighed and took the coffee from him with mumbled gratitude.

They stood there in silence for a few moments, Natsu watching her out of the corner of his eye. He was worried, truly worried, about his friend. "Call out," he said, and she glanced at him, confused. "Call Yukino or Mira or Lisanna and tell them you're not going in today. Call out sick."

"I can't," she protested. "I'm tired, not sick. And there's a shipment coming in today-"

Natsu set his coffee aside and braced his hands on his hips, staring Lucy down. "Call out," he repeated firmly. He nearly ordered it with his tone of voice, and Lucy puffed up angrily. "Luce," he said, reaching out and gently touching one of those shadows. "You're gonna hurt yourself. You need to try and get some more sleep-"

Panic shot through her features. "No. I don't want to sleep any more. I'll just see people dying again-"

He felt a stab of sympathy for that. But he still cut her off and said firmly, "You're going to get some more sleep." He'd make her, too. Even if he preferred having fun and enjoying spending time with her, she needed to sleep. She needed to look to her health before him, and he'd ensure that it happened, too. Even if it meant tying her down to do so.

Lucy changed tactics, throwing him a furious glare instead, and slammed her coffee down. "Get out of my apartment," she seethed, and he settled into a defensive stance. He wasn't about to budge. "Get _out_."

"No."

"I'll scream until Sting comes in and drags you out," she threatened darkly.

Natsu folded his arms, staring Lucy down. She glared right back up at him, and he couldn't help but think that her attempt at looking scary was dragged down by the fact that he could see her practically trembling with exhaustion. "Sting's the one who called me here," he pointed out and Lucy snarled in frustration.

Natsu softened a bit when she just gave up and stared at him pleadingly. "Sleep on the couch," he said. "I'll sit with you until you wake up. You said Happy helped, so I won't move an inch." He might even take a nap himself. He was tired from getting up and breaking in. Natsu gave her a bright grin when she sighed heavily and ran her hands down her face, giving in. "C'mon," he said, offering a hand. She reluctantly took it, and he curled his fingers around hers.

He took a moment - just a moment - to study her hand in his. His hand was so much larger than hers, and was calloused where hers were soft. He liked them. He quickly moved on, however, and Natsu flashed her a warm look as he tugged her towards the living room. He grinned when she began to yawn, already shutting down.

"I have to call the bakery," she protested as she was pushed down onto the couch. She stared up at him sleepily. Natsu ruffled her hair playfully and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"I'll do it right now. Lay down," he said, climbing onto the couch beside her. It was large enough that he could take up an entire cushion by himself and she could stretch out if she put her feet in his lap.

He was expecting her to do that.

Not to simply sprawl out with her head near his hip, her fingers latching onto the cloth of the sweatpants he'd donned before leaving his house in the middle of the night. He blinked, flustered, and she was too tired to react in any way. She closed her eyes, and within moments, was out like a light.

"That was fast," Natsu said a bit hoarsely, eyeing her. He hesitated, and then gently touched her head, feeling the silky strands of golden hair that had yet to be brushed out that day. He settled down, shuffling through his phone's contacts until he found a useful number. He didn't have the Strauss' numbers, nor did he have Yukino's or another employee's.

But he did have Levy's number, and he dialed it without hesitation, knowing that she'd be up despite the early hour.

Levy answered immediately. "Hello?" she said, sounding distracted. Natsu touched Lucy's hair again as he shifted the phone to his other ear.

"Hi, Levy," he said lowly, keeping his voice quiet. "It's Natsu."

"Natsu!" she said, alarmed. "Is everything okay?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Everything's fine. Why wouldn't it be?" She muttered something he didn't catch, so he just moved on. "Could you call Mira or someone important at the Heartfilia Bakery and let 'em know that Lucy's not going in today? She's taking a sick day."

"Is she okay?" fretted Levy immediately. "Does she need me to stop by?"

Someone was a worrier. "Lucy's fine," Natsu reassured, stroking her hair almost mindlessly. It was _really_ soft, and he understood then what she'd meant when she'd said his own was fun to play with. He could have sat there for hours just touching her hair. Not that such a thought was creepy or anything… "She's just doing really bad on sleep because of dreams, so I'm making her take a day off so she can try and catch up on it. I'm hanging out, so you don't need to come by or anything."

Levy puffed out a breath of air. "You're sure? I can take time off if I need to, and Gajeel wouldn't mind if I cancelled our lunch later…"

"Yes, he would," said Natsu bluntly. He remembered his cousin admitting to Wendy the night before that he had something nice planned for the couple's lunch that day. "Don't cancel on him."

"If you're sure…" Levy sighed softly. "Thank you for taking care of her, Natsu. I'll probably stop by later today anyways. I've been meaning to come hang out with her, and if she's taking time off, this evening would be fantastic." He could hear her fidgeting with something as she added, "Does Gajeel and Wendy know where you are?"

"Yep." He'd left a note hanging on the fridge. Not that it worried them so much nowadays when he vanished in the middle of the night. They knew exactly where he'd be now that he'd done it a thousand times. "And punch Gajeel if he says otherwise."

"I'm not going to punch him, I can't even see where his face is," Levy pointed out with a dry laugh. Natsu found himself grinning until she said softly, "If she says anything weird, you'll call me?"

"I guess? Lucy says weird things all of the time though," he told her, glancing down at the subject of their conversation.

"I mean anything truly odd," said Levy impatiently.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll call."

"Thank you, Natsu." She bid him farewell and then hung up.

Rolling his eyes at Levy's odd questions, Natsu carefully reached out to drop his phone onto the coffee table and settled back, yawning himself. He gently ran his fingers through Lucy's hair a few more times. His head throbbed almost painfully and he winced, annoyed. Maybe he needed to go to the doctor, he thought as he rested his head back, closing his eyes. He'd been getting headaches a lot recently, although he wasn't sure what to tell them since it only really happened around Lucy.

It wasn't long before Natsu had dozed off, his fingers still tangled in Lucy's hair.

* * *

When Lucy woke up, she was absolutely astonished for several reasons.

For one, there'd been little to no dreaming at all. What little there had been had even been pleasant - full of warmth and comfort. She'd recalled arms curled protectively around her, laughter in her ear, and upon waking, she felt that something was within arm's reach - something she couldn't remember, but was dancing through her memories and waiting for her to do so. She wished she could have been able to remember whatever it was that she was thinking of.

It was accompanied by a hand casually running over her head again and again, soothing and warm. The touch only made that urge worse. She wanted so badly to remember what it was that was just out of reach.

Finally, it was the realization that the hand belonged to Natsu of all people. The TV was going, though she didn't know what on earth he'd put on. Some kind of documentary that couldn't possibly be interesting to him. But when she finally glanced up at his face, feeling fully rested for the first time in what must have been months, he seemed totally invested in the film.

She effectively distracted him, however, when she simply began to shove herself upright, yawning. Natsu dropped his hand away from her head and beamed as if he'd not just sat there for who knows how long simply so she'd sleep. "You're still here?" she mumbled, rubbing at an eye. She noted the happy blue-furred cat curled up on the back of her couch, not moving an inch despite the action that had started in the living room.

"I said I'd be," he said cheerfully. "Feel better?" He immediately hopped to his feet and stretched, arching his back almost painfully to try and get a better stretch.

"Yes," she admitted, scowling when a smug grin crossed over his features. "Thanks." She meant that last part, however. She was grateful that she'd done as he'd said and gotten a good sleep. "How long was I out?" Last time she'd checked, it had been dawn. She glanced towards a window - and gaped. It was pitch black out.

"A while," was all he said, awkwardly shaking out his legs.

"It's dark out!" cried Lucy, leaping to her feet. She stumbled immediately, hissing when her knees buckled. Natsu snagged her arm awkwardly to keep her from falling, and kept a hold of it until she'd straightened and could keep her balance. "Natsu, why didn't you wake me up at some point?"  
"Because you were tired?" he said pointedly, laughing at her despair with a grin. He shrugged, raking a hand through his pink hair. "Did it work? Did you sleep okay?" Just because she'd not woken up or really shifted since he'd woken up himself didn't mean she'd not had bad dreams. He knew that from experience.

Lucy thought back to her dreams, remembering the warmth that had come from the other person that had filled her mind. "Yeah," she said softly. "I slept okay. I had dreams, but they were nice ones for once. Thank you," she added again, and then furrowed her brow when Natsu beamed, looking delighted that he'd helped. His relief and happiness at having helped her made her bite back a smile. She was glad to see that he was as happy as he was about helping her.

It made her feel just as warm as the dreams had.

Lucy considered that as Natsu wandered towards her kitchen, saying something about making them something to eat. She didn't follow, instead heading for the bathroom to brush out her hair and see how bad her face looked.

He was the only one who could do that, Lucy thought as she kicked the door shut. Only Natsu could make her feel like that. He was unique in that sense - in every sense, actually. She'd never met anyone else like him. And while he wasn't the person she cared so deeply for in her dreams…he was-

Lucy paused, startled.

 _Oh_.

Oh, no.

That wasn't good at all.

She should _not_ be thinking that way.

Shaking those thoughts off, Lucy bustled out of the bathroom, very aware of the fact that she was wearing nothing but an oversized T-shirt. She flushed, but decided to say nothing about it since Natsu hadn't. She found him making coffee in the kitchen again, although he was also digging out materials to make food with. Eggs, from the looks of it, and bacon.

Lucy got the feeling she'd be picking at the food. Wendy had mentioned once that Natsu didn't cook - and with good reason. He was _terrible_ at it.

When he heard her duck in, he looked back at her and offered a bright smile, as if delighted by the fact that she was simply there. He went back to focusing on what he was doing, laying out things to make her breakfast despite the fact that it looked like it was the middle of the night. She checked the time; it was one in the morning. She grimaced. He'd said he'd not moved an inch while she'd slept. She got the feeling he'd meant that literally. Which meant he'd not eaten in a while either.

"How about," Lucy said, plucking a pan he'd grabbed - how he even knew where she kept specific cooking things was a mystery to her - and nudging him aside with her hip, "you let me cook so we can eat? Wendy said you were terrible at cooking."

"Little traitor," he grumbled, but willingly stepped out of the way. He leaned against a counter, folding his arms with a happy smile on his face, content to simply be hanging around in her presence. His onyx eyes were sharp despite the bleariness that accompanied a weird sleep schedule. She was very aware of him watching every single movement she made, and she found that her cheeks were heating much to her despair.

He noticed immediately, of course, and his grin widened, which only made her turn even more red. "Stop staring at me," she finally huffed, cracking eggs and dumping a few into the pan.

He looked positively impish as he purred, "But it's fun."

She waved the spatula she'd pulled out threateningly, flashing him a warning look despite the heat in her face. " _Stop_ ," she whined, "or I'll smack you into next week and leave you cleaning raw egg out of your hair!" To further her point, she showed him the still-raw egg on the tool.

Natsu held his hands up in surrender, unable to stop the laugh that escaped him. "You win." He turned on his heel, humming under his breath in a cheerful way. "I gotta go get Happy anyways. Little buddy's gotta be hungry, too, by now. Is that cat food I left here still in the-"

"Pantry," Lucy called, turning her attention back on the eggs to avoid burning them. She counted to make sure there were enough. She knew Natsu's appetite well. If she didn't make enough food for him before focusing on her own, she knew he'd come digging into her plate, too.

Relieved he was out of her kitchen, Lucy swallowed thickly and ran a hand down her face. _Not good_ , she thought to herself. _Not good at all._ Because _damn it_ , she found that she'd actually liked him looking. She doubted his mind had been in the same space that hers currently was, but still.

Lucy paused in flipping an egg. She needed to talk with Levy. Levy would know what to do.

As if reading her mind, Natsu suddenly ducked back into the kitchen, a purring cat tucked under one arm and a bag of cat food in the other. "By the way, Levy tried to stop by earlier. I told her you'd call her."

There went that plan. Levy had tried to come over and found that Natsu was staying at her house. _Fantastic_. She'd never escape the teasing if Mirajane and Lisanna found out. Lucy groaned softly and briefly buried her face in her hands.

Still hovering in the entry, Natsu blinked. "You okay, Luce?" He frowned. "Do you need more sleep?"  
"No," she said hastily, dropping her hands from her face. "No, I don't need more sleep. Thank you though, Natsu." She twisted to give him a faint smile, and he narrowed his eyes as if he didn't entirely believe her. But he didn't push her, instead leaving Lucy to finish making breakfast for them.

She was screwed, she thought as she dished the food out onto plates. Her sleep schedule would be completely out of whack now, and it was always hard for her to fix such things. And now Natsu was unintentionally screwing up her head.

"Natsu! It's ready!" Lucy shouted when she was done, not caring if her neighbors heard. Undoubtedly Sting wouldn't mind, although he might tease her about having Natsu over at such late hours despite having been the one to call him there. The other neighbors could get over it. Though they'd not yet complained about the screams that came from her apartment, so she couldn't say that she thought they'd care about the yelling either.

She heard a cheer and rolled her eyes as Natsu came nearly sprinting back into the kitchen, excited about simply having breakfast and not caring that it was a ridiculous time of day to have the meal. "Happy's set?" she asked as she handed him the plate.

"Of course," he replied, eyeing his eggs. "Thanks, Luce."

Lucy's lips twitched as she studied him briefly before grabbing her own plate and whirling away. "No problem." She paused, just once, to look at him again, and felt something warm swell in her chest. It only made her face turn red again.

She supposed there was no point in denying it.

She liked him. No, she didn't just like him.

What she felt...she didn't think there words for that.

* * *

Something was clearly up with Lucy, Natsu thought a few days later. He eyed her suspiciously as he tried his damn hardest to keep his attention on his newfound cousin, who he'd been working with to try and find their remaining family member. Gajeel hadn't been initially excited to supposedly have someone new in their small, tight-knit family, but he'd grown used to the idea, and Wendy claimed that he'd even grudgingly invited Sting along for their next "family trip."

Not that it was a real trip of any sort; they just went out for ice cream, but still.

"Hello," sang Sting, waving his hand in Natsu's face. "You hear me?"

"No," admitted Natsu as he turned his attention back on Sting, "sorry." He sneaked a glance at Lucy again when Sting opened his mouth and received a huff for his efforts. But she'd disappeared into the back to likely do some baking.

Sting, cranky that he wasn't paying attention, focused his own on where Natsu kept looking and then glared at Natsu. "It's not like you don't see her ninety percent of the day, so why do you keep staring at her?" He spoke a little louder than necessary on purpose - just loud enough that the older couple having a peaceful breakfast beside them chuckled at Natsu's behavior, but not loud enough that Lucy herself would overhear from the back.

"Would you shut up?" snarled Natsu, swatting at Sting.

Sting smirked, avoiding his light blows, and then shifted. He put his chin in his hand and smirked. "Seriously though," he said, ignoring the seething glare being given to him. "Why do you keep watching Lucy? She doing okay?"

"Better now," Natsu said, rubbing the back of his head. He'd been over every night, and was feeling the lack of sleep himself now. He didn't mind sitting with Lucy on the couch so she could sleep, but his body didn't appreciate it. He'd likely head home and take a good, long nap before heading back to her place that evening. "We figured out a way where she can sleep in peace."

"I noticed. I've also had full nights of sleep recently. So what's the problem?"

"She's being weird." The complaint came out like a whine. "She won't look me in the eye, and she's been avoiding me. She won't admit it, but she has!"

Sting's lips quirked at his complaints, and Natsu glared at him for it. _It's not funny_ , he wanted to shout at him. He was _worried_. Desperately. Had he done something to upset Lucy? He knew that their newest sleeping arrangement was kind of odd, and that he'd been invading her space a lot lately, but still! Maybe he was pushing it too far? That had to be it.

Sting dragged him from those thoughts with a simple three words.

"She likes you."

"What?" said Natsu bluntly, completely confused. He stared dumbly at Sting, who was now grinning and fighting back a laugh.

"You're a bit slow about things like this, aren't you?" mused Sting, sitting back and folding his arms. Gone was his annoyance. He didn't mind so much now that he knew what was going on. And the matter explained Lucy's behavior earlier that day, too, when she'd given Natsu an extra muffin and flushed while doing so. "She's not mad at you. If anything it's the opposite. She likes you, Natsu, and not just as a friend," he added hastily when Natsu tried to say just that, "but a bit more, I think."

"That's not true," protested Natsu, horrified by the suggestion. He wasn't someone people liked in that way! He'd never dealt with things like that. No one had ever been interested, nor had _he_ returned it! And Lucy was...Lucy. She was so much better than he could ever be. She deserved better than a person who couldn't get a job because he didn't know what he wanted!  
Sting studied him for a moment and then said, "Hold on. Watch this." He turned his attention to the workers chatting away behind the counter. "Hey!" he called, waving to catch their attention. Lisanna and Yukino, who'd been mid-conversation, didn't look too excited to have been interrupted. Sting waved them over and Natsu's face paled a little when they began to come over.

"C'mon," he huffed. "Don't do this. Just 'cause we're cousins doesn't mean you get to push into this part of my life, man."

Sting ignored him and flashed Yukino the friendliest, warmest smile he could muster. She flushed a bit at the look and Natsu squinted at her. Did she _like_ Sting? He hoped not. He'd never hear the end of it if Sting found a girlfriend. He'd not known Sting all that long, but he'd gotten to be fully aware of what happened when Sting found something or someone he was interested in. He didn't shut up about it or them.

"Natsu here," said Sting, ignoring Natsu's protests and demands that he stop, "doesn't think Lucy likes him."

Lisanna perked up, losing her aggravation with Sting, and grinned. Yukino giggled a bit, her dark eyes shimmering with amused delight. The women looked beyond pleased to have been included in this conversation, and Natsu's face turned red when Lisanna smiled gently at him and said, "Oh, she likes you. Take it from someone who knew her before you showed up, Natsu."

"We sound like a bunch of high schoolers," said Yukino under her breath, entirely amused before she propped a hand on her hip. "Do you know how much free food she gives you? We don't even get that much free food and drinks from the bakery."

Natsu looked very much like a fish as he gaped at them. "I…" He glanced over to make sure Lucy wasn't coming out, mortified by the idea of her coming across them having this conversation.

"To put it bluntly," finished Lisanna. "If you asked her out for dinner or something, she'd say yes in a heartbeat. The only question is...how do you feel about the matter, Natsu?" He jolted, caught off guard, and tipped his head to meet her gaze. She smiled. "Do you like Lucy, too? If you don't, you need to be careful with how you handle this situation, Natsu. We don't want to see her hurt."

Natsu was caught off guard by this and sank back a bit. He didn't like the fact that he was suddenly being stared down by three curious people who _had no business getting involved in this_. Swallowing thickly, he rose to his feet, a little agitated. "It's none of your business," he said angrily and ducked around the side of the table, fully intending on leaving.

It wasn't that he didn't. Lucy meant far more to him than they probably thought, but he didn't like that this had suddenly been thrust upon him. That thoughts he admittedly had been having were being forced into his face. It made him uncomfortable and…

She was as important as that starlit girl, but she wasn't _her_.

It still bothered him, the connections that he found between them. And he couldn't say he was ready to deal with that just yet.

Yukino and Lisanna winced when he huffed angrily. "Sorry," said Yukino softly. "We weren't try to push anything on you, Natsu. We just...wanted to help." She smiled. "In any case. You know our opinions on everything for later reference."

"Like I said," agreed Lisanna. "We just...we don't want Lucy hurt, that's all." She patted his shoulder and then dragged Yukino back towards the counter as Lucy came from the back, drying her clean hands on a towel. The blonde blinked, startled at the realization that her workers had been chatting it up with Sting and Natsu. She glanced briefly over at him, and Natsu hastily averted her eyes, flustered over what the others had told him.

If what they'd all said was true and Lucy like him like that...his stomach twisted with anticipation and excitement, and he wanted to punch himself.

He wasn't good enough for Lucy Heartfilia. She'd realize the same sooner or later, and there was no point in that kind of hope. She would find someone much better than him eventually and her gaze would turn to them, leaving him in worse condition than she'd found him. And maybe they'd be friends afterwards - because he couldn't imagine a life without her at this point - but it would still hurt. And that kind of pain wore down on a relationship, whether it be friendship or not.

He did like Lucy. Maybe, if he put the effort in, he could come to forget the girl that smelled of starlight, watch as she was replaced by Lucy.

But he didn't want to lose Lucy, simply because of who _he_ was.

So he'd step back. Unless she approached him directly, he'd step back and let whatever was forming wither and die.

* * *

 _Sorry about the wait! I hope it was worth it with all of the cute Nalu moments! ;)_

 _Thanks to reviewers_ _(stranger1999, Guest #1, PinkFireandGoldenStars, BrokenAngelWings83, ThaDesperado64, nkukurichan, Alera33, itsxoi, Guest #2, AlaskaHolmes90786, Lovetoreadff, Sassysarcastic, FairyLover01, LePengwen, MagicalFoxInTheWilderness, and Bananarock509!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	24. Unpack Your Heart

**. Unpack Your Heart .**

* * *

" _Meet me where the sunlight ends._

 _Meet me where the truth never bends._

 _Bring all that you're scared to defend,_

 _~x~_

 _And lay it down when you walk through my door._

 _Throw all of it out on the floor-_

 _Your sorrow, your beauty, your war._

 _I want it all, I want it all._

 _~x~_

 _Bring your secrets, bring your scars._

 _Bring your glory - all you are._

 _Bring your daylight, bring your dark._

 _Share your silence_

 _And unpack your heart."_

~ "Unpack Your Heart" by Phillip Phillips

* * *

Natsu was avoiding her again.

It didn't take a genius to see it, and it truly bothered Lucy for more than one reason. For one, she couldn't get a good night of sleep again. The dreams, without Natsu staying at her place to ward them off, had come back in full force, each one worse than the last as more details were dragged into view. The last one had ended with something crushing her and pain so fierce she'd awoken to it radiating through her body. She'd been disoriented, even more confused when she'd found that Sting had physically broken through her front door to wake her up.

She'd gotten a note from the owner of the building, warning her that there had been complaints and even if she was a Heartfilia, she'd be kicked out if the screaming didn't stop.

Secondly, the realization that she may or may not have admitted to herself that she was a little in love with the idiot. She'd done her damn hardest to keep that under wraps, but his sudden absence had dragged it out further and further because she'd missed him in recent days. Even more than she'd missed Gray when Gray had gone off for half a year - something the man was preparing to do again.

Thirdly, there was no damn reason for it. He'd admitted his dreams weren't nearly as common when he'd stayed at her place, even stopping altogether. So it couldn't be that he felt guilty like last time.

All in all…

It was driving her up the wall.

And she was feeling a bit lonely. She'd grown so used to having him around at her place or at the bakery. He'd even taken Happy with him, though she couldn't be mad about that. The cat had two friends at their house, and even if he was a cat, he probably missed his fellow felines. If cats missed their friends. She wasn't sure. But still.

Gray was busy preparing for another trip out and hanging with Juvia in his free time. Her employees had free time. Levy oftentimes was working or doing something with Gajeel. Lucy had thought they'd become rather close in recent times; something had changed in their dynamic, and Gajeel was far more interested than he'd been initially.

Lucy _could_ have turned to Sting, but he'd practically locked himself away in his hunt for Rogue Cheney. He'd had no luck the last time they'd spoken; apparently, Weisslogia and Skiadrum, Rogue's father, had been in a terrible argument that had resulted in Skiadrum probably moving countries and disappearing off the face of the earth.

So the moment that Levy _finally_ sent her a message asking if she wanted to get together and do an evening at her place, Lucy jumped on it. If she was lucky, they'd crash and she could give her neighbors a break from her screaming.

The evening of found Lucy knocking sharply on the door to the house Levy had somehow managed to afford. It wasn't a big one by any means, but it was a house just on the outskirts of Magnolia, and it was perfect for her. No stairs to trip on, no railings to worry about. A simple, two-bedroom one-story house.

Levy let her in with a wide smile, and Lucy was pleased to see that for once, the cloth she usually wore around her eyes was gone, leaving her hazy, clouded hazel eyes on full display. Lucy saw the massive burn scarring that crossed her features, stretching from temple to temple, from a short distance down the bridge of her nose to just below her eyebrows. Lucy had been one of very few to see the scars - mostly because she'd been there when they'd happened. They didn't bother Lucy one bit.

"Lucy?" Levy questioned, fairly confident that it was Lucy in front of her, but not entirely.

"Hey, Levy," Lucy said with a grin, touching her friend's arm and sweeping past her. "Good to see you."

Levy grimaced as she kicked the door shut behind Lucy, nimbly feeling for the lock and snapping it into place. "It _has_ been a while," she said guiltily. "I might have been spending a bit too much time with Gajeel and ignoring everyone else...although you've been with Natsu, so I guess it evens out?"

Lucy made a face, and said, "Mostly, but not in the last two or three weeks. I've not seen him in a while, actually." She scowled and gave an irritable huff, tugging thoughtfully on a lock of golden hair. "He's avoiding me again."

Levy shrugged and took the lead, heading for her living room, where she dropped comfortably on a couch. She got the feeling that it was a conversation that had to happen before they could enjoy their evening entirely. "Gajeel's not said anything about it," she admitted as Lucy settled beside her, "although he did mention that he'd seen a lot more of Natsu than he has in recent times."

"So he's not out and doing stuff then," muttered Lucy, a little offended. "I don't even know what I did to be avoided this time…I think Sting's seen more of him this week than I have."

"Maybe it's like last time? He's feeling bad about something he doesn't want to talk about?"

"Maybe." Lucy sighed heavily and rested her head back on the couch. She wiggled her toes in her sandals thoughtfully, thinking through a list of ideas she'd come up with. Admittedly, the list was pathetically small and rather useless. "I can't come up with any particular reason though. I shot him a text last night and he never responded." She paused, and then frowned. "I did tell him a bit more from the dreams I've had recently...maybe it was that…"

"Anything new in those?" asked Levy patiently, perfectly content to let Lucy rant until she felt better.

"No. Just...no good ones in a while. It's always the bad ones,where someone I care for is gone and then…" Lucy squinted. "Well, it's not very pleasant." Levy nudged her in silence, wanting to hear. "I die. I get crushed, or something like that. It's been worse lately. In the dreams I'm okay with it, but I wake up and feel really bad pains. Like something's crushing me."

Levy took on a concerned look, her lips tugged into a grimace. She couldn't remember anything in particular that would go along with thoughts like that...then again. Levy hadn't been anywhere near Lucy or Natsu in the end. "I'm sorry," was all she could offer without sounding strange. She elbowed her friend gently. "I wish I could tell you I knew a way to stop them, but…"

She had dreams on occasion. Not as often as the others seemed to. They seemed to stop when you remembered everything. Gajeel had admitted to having a dream every now and then, but had claimed they'd stopped since he'd regained his memories of what had happened centuries prior.

Lucy waved it off. "Anyways, the dreams aren't what I wanted to talk about. I wanted your advice for something else and have been wanting it, but you've been kind of busy." Levy winced; it was a small jab that Lucy very rarely made unless she was truly upset about it.

"Sorry," said Levy guiltily. "We should start meeting up at least weekly and invite Gray every now and then." Lucy nodded in agreement though Levy couldn't see it. "What is it you wanted to tell me then?"

"Like I said, I wanted advice." Lucy shifted nervously. She was incredibly worried about this - about admitting that she liked Natsu Dragneel as more than a friend aloud. Doing so would change things, and she didn't know if it would change things for the better. For all she knew, it would send things spiraling downwards into devastation.

Levy picked up on that nervousness and grew serious, reaching out and gently taking Lucy's hand after fumbling about for a few moments. She squeezed it tightly and said, "Whatever it is, you can tell me, you know. I won't judge you."

Lucy knew that well. Levy had been there when Lucy was at her lowest and vice versa. "I know," she said aloud, "I'm not worried about you thinking any less of me or anything. I just...it's a weird thing to mention aloud after kind of trapping it inside for a few weeks."

Lucy took just one more moment to calm herself, and then said rather bluntly, "I like Natsu. As in _really_ like him, and I don't know what to do about it."

"Oh, my." Levy cleared her throat, clearly trying to not laugh at her friend's anxious tone. She smiled a little as she squeezed Lucy's hand again and replied, "That's what you want my advice on?"

"I don't know if telling him would be okay. The last time I dated anyone, they asked first, you know?" Lucy huffed. "Actually, every time I've dated someone, they've asked first. Mind you...they were all after my money and status and stuff. I don't mind asking him out or anything, I just...I _really_ like having him around as a friend, and I don't want to scare him off." She hated being the first one to make a move, even if she didn't mind it at the same time. She wanted to be certain of how Natsu would react before she did anything.

Levy thought it over for a short moment, considering. "I don't know what kind of advice I can give you for now, Lucy," she admitted. "I mean, I'm all for it, and I _know_ Gajeel and Wendy think he has a thing for you. Gajeel's mentioned it a few times."

Lucy fidgeted anxiously as she bit her lip and murmured back, "Still...he _has_ been avoiding me for the last few weeks…"

"So go to his house and stake out in front of it until he talks to you. Or we can get Gajeel to let you in. He can't avoid you _and_ his house." Levy shrugged and leaned back comfortably, snickering to herself. "I hate to say it, but until things start moving, Lucy, I don't think there's anything I can give you advice-wise."

Lucy sighed heavily in response. She'd not really expected anything else, but had still found herself admittedly hoping. "Well, thank you for trying," she said, taking Levy's hand and squeezing it. Levy squeezed back comfortingly, gently smiling at her friend and feeling bad that she couldn't do more.

"Now, enough stressful talk," declared Levy, feeling around on the coffee table. "Let's watch something good." She pressed the remote into Lucy's hand. "Rent us something funny."

Lucy, sighing and shaking her head in amusement, did as she was told.

* * *

Lucy eyed the house she'd never really been into and folded her arms uneasily. After some hard thinking and three more days of Natsu's absence in her life, she'd taken Levy's amusing advice to invade his house. She wanted to know what was going on, regardless of whether Natsu liked it or not.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, shifted the backpack she'd slung over her shoulder, and strode for the front door. She rang the doorbell, waiting impatiently, and then straightened when she heard footsteps - heavy and intimidating - approaching. She wasn't surprised when Gajeel flung the door open and squinted at her from sleepy crimson eyes, as if he'd been taking a nap.

"You," he grunted, arching a pierced brow.

"Me?" said Lucy, confused by his response. He merely shrugged and waved her in, sighing heavily. Lucy shifted her bag and then ducked in, immediately peering around the house with interest. In all of the time Natsu had hung out at her place...she'd never come around his. It was surprisingly clean, she thought, considering how messy Natsu could be. Gajeel led her into the kitchen, which looked as if it had been recently upgraded. Most of the appliances were new, with a beautiful dining room table in the center. Lucy eyed the kitchen with appreciation. It was nice and large, too.

"Sit," ordered Gajeel, jabbing a finger at a chair at the table. Lucy jumped, but did as he said, dropping into a seat. Gajeel didn't bother to sit with her, instead eyeing her and stroking the fur of a feline that was settled on the table. A large scar marked him as Pantherlily; Natsu had described him to her. Pantherlily purred to Gajeel, as if amused.

"Um," Lucy said after a few awkward, silent moments. She fidgeted with the strap of the bag she'd placed in her lap. "Is Natsu-"

"Nope," said Gajeel, popping the 'p.' "Hasn't been around today. Left first thing this morning." He fell silent again, simply watching her and Lucy stiffened for a moment, ready to just get up and leave. She didn't like when he watched her like that - like he knew something she didn't. "He's been wandering again."

Lucy immediately understood. The last time Natsu had avoided her, he'd become prone to wander Magnolia, simply walking around. She remembered Gray mentioning how he'd come across the idiot in a park once. "I'd like to put a stop to it, but he hasn't been answering my phone calls," she huffed.

Gajeel snorted loudly, and ruffled Pantherlily's ears fondly. "He doesn't know how to deal with shit properly. Dunno if it's 'cause Igneel never taught him or if he's just an idiot who never figured it out. Might be because of his time in the homes, too, I guess." He shrugged, indicating he didn't know nor did he really care to find out. It wasn't his business how Natsu went around dealing with his issues. "I'll call Wendy. She knows where he is."

"Does she?" said Lucy in surprise.

"Yeah. Doesn't usually go anywhere without telling Wendy now." Gajeel waved her off. "Do what you want. Just don't steal anything." Lucy glared, insulted that he thought she'd even consider stealing, but he ignored her and strode from the kitchen, phone in hand. "I'll let you know in a minute."

"Or," muttered Lucy when he was gone, "I could just call her. I do have my phone in my bag...oh! Hello, Happy," she said, a smile flashing over her face when the blue-furred cat hauled himself onto the table with a delighted purr. He brushed against her when she reached out to stroke him, smiling fondly at the cat. She'd even begun to miss having the cat around.

Yawning, Lucy leaned back in her chair, waiting for Gajeel to come back. She'd nearly dozed off before Gajeel suddenly came back, scaring the daylights out of her when he said, "Natsu's gone to the bakery."

"What?" she spluttered, caught off guard. "But he's been _avoiding_ me."

"Yeah," he retorted, "and apparently he's done with it. Now get out of my house and deal with him. He's annoying when he's moping."

Grumbling, Lucy drew herself to her feet and swung her bag over her shoulder. "Bye, Happy," she muttered, giving him a final pat on his head before heading for the front door. She paused after swinging it open, glancing back. "Thanks, Gajeel." She smiled warmly, grateful for his help.

"Whatever," snapped the irritable man, looking a little flustered. "Just get out. I've got company comin'."

 _Levy_. Giggling under her breath, Lucy slid from the house and closed the door firmly behind her.

Lucy made it to the bakery in record timing. It was open, of course, as it was most days of the week, and Lucy looked around as she ducked inside, sharp eyes looking for the one who'd been avoiding her. Annoyance slashed through her. Natsu was nowhere to be found.

"Lucy!" a voice called, and she glanced over. She was startled to find, of all people, Juvia there, a cup of coffee in her hands. She cast Lucy a warm look. "Are you looking for Natsu?"

"Yes," Lucy admitted. She walked over and stood beside Juvia's table, noting the empty seat across from her. The place at the table was clearly occupied despite the absence of a person. Gray must have been around, disappearing to the restroom. There was a half-empty coffee. "Is he still here? Wendy told Gajeel he'd come here."

Juvia shook her head. "He left about twenty minutes ago."

"Damn!" Lucy hissed, shoving a hand irritably through her hair. She winced when it tugged at it and made a mental note to reconsider getting it cut. She forced herself to take a deep breath and then said with patience, "Do you know where he went?" She could try calling him again, she supposed, but...she wasn't sure he'd pick up.

 _He must have figured out that Wendy ratted him out_ , she silently told herself with a heavy sigh.

Juvia shook her head again and said sympathetically, "Sorry, Lucy."

A hand ruffling her hair made Lucy jump and she looked up to find an amused Gray standing beside her. "Hey, Lucy," he said pleasantly, taking his seat. "Looking for the idiot?"

"Yes, and he keeps avoiding me like the plague," seethed Lucy. She sighed again in frustration. "I don't suppose you've heard from him recently, Gray?" Gray gave her an incredulous look and Lucy winced. _Guess that's a no…_

"I saw him earlier, but he left," said Gray simply, shrugging. He took his coffee and sipped thoughtfully at it, glancing over his shoulder when the bell at the door jingled. Lucy didn't miss the way that Juvia winced a little, as if the sound hurt her. It sometimes hurt Lucy's head, too, she remembered, and made a mental note to get rid of it soon.

"Is he avoiding you again?" Gray suddenly asked, a challenging gleam in his gaze as he put his coffee down. "Want me to go find him?"

" _No_ ," Lucy said hastily, eyes snapping wide. If _Gray_ went and found Natsu, then there'd be a hell of a lot of fighting that would likely start. She'd heard their little bickering sessions when they'd both been hanging around the bakery. "I'll find him. I'll give him another call and see if I can track him down somewhere. If all else fails, I'll just go back to his house and sit there until he comes home whether Gajeel likes it or not."

Gray grinned. Finding her decision to be rather funny, he glanced at Juvia, who chuckled under her breath. Juvia reached out and took Lucy's hand soothingly, her blue eyes warm. "Don't worry, Lucy," she said gently, "you'll find him."

Lucy studied Juvia thoughtfully for a few moments. She didn't know Juvia very well, but there was something soothing about her. It reminded Lucy a little of Erza, who'd started coming by quite often, and Mirajane, as well as Levy. It was odd, but Lucy chose not to dwell on it.

Instead, she murmured, "Thanks."

* * *

The phone call was as helpful as Lucy had expected, and by the time she'd given up on it, it was evening. So, sighing heavily for the umpteenth time that day, Lucy went home.

She was unlocking her door, biting her lip unhappily at the second warning note that had been pasted to her front door, when she heard voices at the next apartment over. She briefly glanced over, curious, and found Sting's door open. A suspicion entered her mind, and admitting that she _was_ being nosey, Lucy walked over, abandoning her own front door with a tight grip on her keys.

When she peeked in, she nearly dropped those keys.

Sting was bent over his expensive laptop, excitedly typing, and none other than Natsu Dragneel was leaning over her shoulder. Lucy's jaw dropped at the sight of him. He'd been avoiding her for so long - only to turn up next door after ignoring her latest call. She was sincerely angry for a few moments, although the anger dissipated when Natsu said excitedly, "So he's coming then?"

Sting nodded, the widest of grins on his face as he replied, "Yeah. He'll be here next week. I talked with him last night on the phone and he's interested in learning more about what went down with our parents, so...you can help if you want. I'll have to take a couple hours each day, too, to do regular work, so you can take him around Magnolia if you want."

'Sounds good," agreed Natsu, pleased. "I'll bring Wendy, too. I've been talking about it with her and she's excited. I don't think Gajeel cares too much though." Natsu huffed softly, frowning as he pulled back to fold his arms. "I'll get him to-" He broke off as he shifted and noticed Lucy standing there.

She'd copied his movement, her arms folded tightly. One brow had been lifted, and she had her lips pressed into a hard line, still annoyed that she had been hunting around for him only to find him next door.

"Uh," stammered Natsu, looking guilty and nervous, "hey, Luce."

Sting immediately looked over, looking completely relaxed and not at all aware of what had been going on. "Hi, Lucy," he said cheerfully, giving a small wave. He suddenly frowned with concern. "How're you doing? You said you were hurting after-"

"Fine," Lucy said tightly, clenching her jaw as she promptly turned her eyes away from Natsu. If he wanted to ignore her and then show up around everyone else...fine. She smiled faintly at Sting, who glanced between the nervous man behind him and Lucy. "I could be better, but...I'm managing. I got another warning though. I think I'm just going to move before I get evicted."

Natsu's eyes widened in surprise, and Sting frowned. "Damn. I know it's been bad, but I didn't think the neighbors thought that badly of it...sorry, Lucy."

"Not your fault," Lucy said simply with a shrug. "Might need your help finding my own house or something though if you're up for it. Since you're good at finding things and everything."

"People," Sting corrected, glancing at Natsu curiously again. He fought a grin when his newly found cousin began to shift anxiously back and forth, as if he knew something Sting didn't. "But sure. I'll help, Lucy. I'll stop by this evening if you want."

"Thanks. I'll warn the landlord," said Lucy gratefully. She leveled Natsu with a final narrow-eyed look. "See you later, Sting," she finally said, and then whipped around and left, storming down the hall. She heard loud swearing from Natsu and a curious Sting demanding to know what was going on, but she ignored them both as she ripped the note from her door and unlocked it.

"Luce!" Natsu demanded as he swept out of Sting's room and hurried towards her. She ignored him and ducked inside, moving to slam the door behind her without much care for the neighbors. She was leaving anyways.

A grunt filled the air as Natsu managed to squeeze himself in, the door smacking his chest while his back pressed into the door frame. "Ow," he muttered, and Lucy felt a brief flash of satisfaction. He looked much better than he had the last time he'd avoided her; it was as if he'd been sleeping perfectly fine. Which meant he'd been avoiding her for some other reason that didn't involve the dreams they had.

Which only made the avoiding worse.

"Luce!" he said again, this time a bit sharply.

She pretended not to hear him as she tossed her bag aside, heading for the kitchen to fish out some of the alcohol she kept hidden there. She didn't drink often, but she hoped that drinking enough might help her sleep without having a dream in which she was murdered. _Again_.

"Hey," protested Natsu as he tried to snag her wrist. She ripped free and simply ducked into her kitchen, immediately starting to shuffle through cabinets. " _Luce_ -"

"Do _not_ ," she seethed when she'd found her bottle of unopened red wine. She withdrew, her fingers tight around the neck of the full bottle. "'Luce'me, Natsu Dragneel. I've been trying to get you around or on the phone for weeks. I even went to your _house_ today trying to find you." She whirled around to face him, her eyes narrowed angrily. "We went over this the last time you avoided me like the plague-"

"You avoided me first!" declared Natsu, looking befuddled.

"No," she said sharply, even as red rose to her cheeks, because she realized she _had_ avoided him a little. "I was distant. There's a difference between distant and avoiding for _weeks_. And I had my reasons. So why didn't you just _ask_?"

Natsu huffed, clenching his teeth in frustration. "Because I couldn't get close enough to ask," he protested. "You were _avoiding_ me."

She gave him a rather cold look. "I don't remember you even trying to get close," she muttered. She turned away again and went to work on finding her corkscrew. She felt a flash of triumph when she found the magnetic one she'd purchased a while back attached to the fridge. "Most people," she said irritably, "tend to try and _ask_ when they're being avoided even just a little."

Natsu paused, suddenly confused. He studied her with a furrowed brow. "Hold on," he muttered, pushing a hand through his messy pink hair. "I'm confused. Are you mad at me for not coming around or are you mad at me for not asking what was wrong?"

"Yes," was Lucy's sarcastic answer, a triumphant grin crossing her face when the bottle opened. She carried the bottle over to another cabinet and withdrew a wine glass. As she poured it out, Lucy mumbled, "And who cares who was avoiding who. It doesn't matter anymore. I'm moving, so you don't have to worry about coming over anymore. So you can go on avoiding me if you want."

"You're being ridiculous," Natsu said irritably. He watched as Lucy looked him in the eye and simply drained the first glass of wine. He frowned a little, taking in her appearance a bit more closely. He realized a moment later why she was so upset - and not making all that much sense. Shadows rested beneath her eyes, and she was wavering. Stumbling, though she'd not yet had all that much to drink. She looked as if she was going to pass out at any second.

A sudden thought occurred to him. "Sting said you were hurt," he said suddenly.

"Yeah," she muttered, leaning back against her counter. She was too tired to fight anymore. She just wanted to curl up in a dreamless sleep. She slouched, grasping blindly for her bottle again. She fully intended to drink the whole thing in the next hour or so, whether it was good for her or not. "My dreams are worse than ever." He felt a flicker of guilt at the misery on her face. "I got crushed the other night. I woke up with the worst pain I've ever felt." She shuddered at the memory. "Sting had to break in and wake me up. It's part of the reason I'm apparently moving." Which wasn't very reassuring; no one would be there to wake her up from her nightmares now. Not if Natsu stopped hanging around entirely like he had been.

Natsu's jaw worked for a few moments as he debated how to answer. Finally, he hesitantly stepped closer and mumbled, "I'm sorry. For not being around and stuff. Something happened and I've been trying to think it over and whatnot. And then Sting said he found Rogue, and I got distracted…" He trailed off, realizing he was making excuses. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

Lucy averted his gaze, her eyes locked on the floor as she debated how to answer. She considered for just a moment that she should send him out of her apartment. But...he wasn't necessarily wrong. She _was_ being ridiculous, practically _trying_ to pick a fight. Lucy sighed. "I'm sorry, too," she murmured to him. "I haven't been able to sleep. It probably made me think things were a bit worse than they were."

Natsu's lips quirked a little although he managed to bite back the odd bubble of laughter he wanted to give. He edged forward, fully intending to take Lucy's alcohol from her, but she saw right through his action and held it far out of his reach, knowing fully well he could wrestle it from her grasp.

"Oh, no," she said darkly, "I'm drinking all of it tonight, regardless." As she poured another glass, silence fell, and she thought over what he'd said. She asked a few moments later, "What happened?" Natsu looked at her with confusion. "You said something happened that you were thinking over. Is everything okay?"

Natsu opened his mouth, closed it, and then turned a startling shade of crimson. Lucy immediately sat up, interested. "Err," he muttered, hesitant. He looked wild, as if he was trying to figure out how to word whatever was on his mind without giving too much away. "It's fine."

Lucy debated telling him that she knew he was lying. Instead, she eyed the way he was awkwardly standing there and offered the bottle silently. He took it without hesitation, tipping his head back to drink from it without hesitation.

She stood there silently, watching. Her stomach twisted.

"Natsu," she said suddenly, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She might as well ask; she was tired of sitting there being miserable and not knowing about the matter. He grunted questioningly as he lowered the bottle and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "Do...would you be interested in going out to dinner?"

She clamped her mouth shut nervously as soon as the question was out. She nervously wrung her fingers as he stopped dead to stare at her, his onyx eyes wide with astonishment. When he said nothing for what seemed like ages, Lucy said weakly, "I'll take that as a no."

Natsu sputtered. "I...hold on, I didn't…" His face had turned red again. He swallowed thickly, setting the wine bottle on the counter. "I just...look." He couldn't seem to get his thoughts together, and Lucy felt her heart sink as she watched him fight for some kind of reason to the sudden question she'd popped on him.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Natsu took a ragged breath and said hoarsely, "Luce, I'm _me_." He gestured wildly to himself, anxious. "You...I'm not good enough for you. And we're friends. And...and..." He fought for more reasons, but blanked despite all of the excuses he'd been telling himself for some time now.

Lucy found herself staring at him. "Not _good_ \- Natsu, I like you because you're _you_. What right do you have to tell me that you're not good enough for me?" She pressed her lips together, eyes flashing. "Is it because of my money? Because I can tell you that if that's the reason, you can-"

"Money?" Natsu blinked. "No. Has nothing to do with your money. I don't care about that. I don't want to lose a friend if something goes wrong."

"Well, with thinking like that, of course something would go wrong," she retorted, frustrated. Her stomach flipped as she realized he'd not necessarily said anything about not liking her the same way. "Natsu," she said, softening her tone. "You...you don't have to make excuses. If you don't want to, you don't have to." Her voice trembled a little. She wanted to cry, she realized, feeling a little guilty for a reason she couldn't describe. "I'll get over it."

But she wouldn't force the matter. She would _never_ force such a thing.

"I didn't say that," he said hastily, and she arched a brow, guilt replaced with confusion. He took another breath, shoving his hand through his hair with a look of distress. "This is why I was avoiding you," he admitted with a grimace. Lucy wanted to cry out in triumph at the admittance. "'Cause Sting and Yukino and Lisanna wouldn't shut up about this stuff."

Lucy paused, caught off guard. "You...you four were talking about my love life?" she demanded.

" _They_ were," Natsu blurted hastily, not wanting to be included. "They wouldn't shut up about it, saying that you liked me and stuff, and I didn't know whether or not it was true and stuff, and I mean, you're great and I _do_ like you, so I didn't want to imagine things that I didn't know were true or not-" He shut his mouth, flustered.

Lucy buried her face in her hands. For a moment, Natsu was worried he'd be booted from her apartment, that she'd simply explode and end their friendship right there. But then he realized she was giggling, the sound slowly growing louder. "Oh, stars above," she breathed a moment later, tears in her eyes. "Sorry. I just...it seems like we were avoiding one another for stupid reasons."

It took Lucy a couple of minutes to get herself together, and when she did, she cleared her throat, wiping tears from her dark eyes. Brushing messy blonde hair out of her eyes, she offered a hesitant smile. "Look. Just answer yes or no and we'll go from there?"

Natsu got the feeling she wouldn't carry on with her life unless he did as she said. "...sure," he finally sighed. "Why not." He _did_ like Lucy, and he was tired of constantly being careful of what he was doing - of wanting to creep closer but not being able to let himself. He'd liked her for a while now. It was because of that that Natsu warned, "But you're not-"

"No, I know," she said, although there was a hint of sadness to her tone. "And you're not the one who smells like smoke. I get it. It's the same for both of us. But we can't have them, and I have to admit that I'm rather fond of this guy who hangs around my place shockingly often for someone I'm not dating." She sighed softly at the thought of the one who'd been dead so often in her dreams, but then offered the man before her, the living and breathing Natsu, a smile as bright as the sun.

Relieved that whatever had gone wrong was at the very least _temporarily_ fixed, Natsu grinned back.

* * *

 _So this chapter. I wasn't sure where it was going after the Levy part. Kind of unsure of where it did go. BUT NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE FLUFF. And then some more angst. 'Cause I love my angst. What do you think?_

 _Thanks to reviewers (PinkFireandGoldenStars,_ _stranger1999, FairyTailxFanGirl, 1-anime, LePengwen, Meow Orbit, Inky-Paws, and Selfless!) as well as those who favorited and followed! I appreciate you all!_


	25. Bad Apple!

**. Bad Apple! .**

* * *

" _Ever on and on, I continue circling_

 _With nothing but my hate in a carousel of agony..._

…

 _And slowly I see that I can't break free. I'm_

 _Slipping through the cracks of a dark eternity_

 _With nothing but my pain and the paralyzing agony_

 _To tell me who I am, who I was._

 _~x~_

 _Maybe it's a dream, maybe nothing else is real,_

 _But it wouldn't mean a thing if I told you how I feel._

 _So I'm tired of all the pain, all the misery inside..._

…

 _Will tomorrow ever come? Will I make it through the night?_

…

 _Am I hurting? Am I sad?_  
 _…_

 _I've forgotten how to tell._

 _Did I ever even know?_

 _Can I take another step? I've done everything I can."_

~ "Bad Apple!" by Vocaloid

* * *

Lucy was rather happy when three days later, she and Natsu had a rather pleasant dinner out at one of Magnolia's nicer restaurants. Despite his initial hesitance and intentions to continue to dance around, Natsu had ended up fully content with the idea of the date. He'd even donned some nicer jeans a button up shirt Lucy hadn't thought he'd owned and insisted that they split the bill at the end of the night.

He'd even shyly complimented her appearance, despite the fact that she knew she'd looked terrible with her pale face and shadowed eyes. He'd done his best to come around again before their date, but Wendy had gotten the flu and Gajeel had needed him home to help him with her.

After the date, Lucy had enthusiastically informed Levy over a phonecall that he'd quietly demanded a second when it was over, looking saddened by the fact that they had to go home for the night. Levy had quietly congratulated her, and had held something in her voice that worried Lucy, although she'd not questioned it.

Similarly, when Wendy had slyly gone after her cousin to demand answers, he'd told her to mind her own business before admitting he'd really enjoyed it and looked forward to the next one.

Now, just a handful of days after their date, Natsu was bouncing around her bakery with a worried look on his face. Sting was stretched out in a seat beside Wendy, who was still recovering somewhat from the flu. Natsu was torn; half of his attention was on the door, just _waiting_ for the final member of his newly formed family to make an appearance, while the other half was on Lucy.

Something was wrong. He'd known from the moment he'd come in that morning. She'd been sluggish, exhausted more so than she'd ever been. He'd been unable to stay the night at her place the night before, as the flu had moved onto Gajeel and Wendy had been too worried to deal with a cranky, sick Gajeel on her own.

He knew it wasn't just his imagination, too, because Mirajane and Yukino, who were both working that morning, were glancing at her every now and then. Gray, who'd come to visit with Lucy one last time before he and his brother headed back out to the mountains, was watching, too, as he waited for her to finish doing inventory so they could sit together.

The jingling of that _damn bell_ dragged Natsu's attention away from her and he rushed to plant himself firmly on Wendy's right, earning an amused look from his cousin. A dark-haired man he'd only seen images of had appeared, looking wary as he swept into the bakery. Natsu blinked at the sight of him, feeling the same tug of recognition that had come with so many other people.

He was a quiet person, Natsu thought immediately, with a pair of sharp crimson eyes that held an intelligence that reminded Natsu of Lucy. There was a rather nasty scar that crossed over the bridge of his nose, and he could have been a shadow with how smoothly he slid into the bakery through the front door. When Natsu lifted his hand in greeting, signaling that it was them he was there to meet, he glanced over at Wendy and Sting - and paused.

Sting was staring wide-eyed at Rogue, his mouth open. As if something had clicked. But it wasn't like when Gray had met Erza in the very same seat. It was more like meeting with Lucy, when he'd looked at the odd blonde behind the counter and realized that she was important in so many ways despite the fact that he knew nothing about her. As if he'd known her his whole life.

Rogue's gaze latched onto them, and a smile quirked across his mouth as he approached. "Natsu, Wendy, and Sting, I presume," he murmured, and Sting only frowned as he stared at their newfound cousin. Wendy, on the other hand, bounced to her feet and beamed at him, offering her hand to shake.

"It's nice to meet you, Rogue," she said with such honesty that he smiled warmly at her, though the smile wasn't very big. Natsu, as he offered his own hand, which Rogue took, thought that he was a _very_ quiet person, much more like Grandeeney had been.

"Likewise," said Rogue, pulling back and seating himself across from Sting. Sting had finally closed his mouth, but said nothing. Only stared and stared, unable to tear his gaze away. Rogue seemed to notice and found it funny.

Sure that things would go well - Rogue seemed to fit in entirely despite his nature - Natsu spared a look in Lucy's direction to check on her. She was quietly adding fresh pastries to the display case, and as if feeling his eyes on her, glanced up. Lucy offered him a grin, although the usual warmth she showed him seemed faded today. He forced himself to smile back, and she indicated some of the pastries, arching a brow.

He nodded curtly. _Yes_. He most certainly _did_ want some of those sweet treats.

He turned his attention back onto his cousins, who were chatting peacefully about where they'd all lived in recent years. Rogue, as it turned out, had flown in from Caellum to the south, but had started expressing just before they'd phoned in moving to Crocus, Fiore. Sting immediately grinned, playfully encouraging the move so that they'd be able to see him easier.

The conversation had just turned onto other matters - Gajeel, actually, who'd chosen not to come in favor of going to class - when Lucy suddenly came over, carrying a platter full of sweets and drinks. "Hi, Lucy!" Wendy said, eyes gulping down the sight of what she carried.

Lucy smiled warmly at her as she nudged Sting's laptop aside. "Hi, Wendy, hi, Sting." She set the platter down and handed Wendy and Sting their drinks before offering Natsu his. He eyed the variety of food she'd brought. Muffins, cookies, cupcakes, small cakes, pastries, brownies, and everything in between. She flashed him a wink before turning to Rogue with a friendly look. "Hi. Rogue Cheney, right? I've heard a lot about you. I'm a friend of theirs: Lucy."

He studied her with interest that made Natsu's stomach twist with what he recognized to be jealousy after a few moments. He didn't like it. "Pleased to meet you," he said in response before curiously sliding his gaze past her and to Yukino, who'd suddenly given a distressed call of Lucy's name from where she hovered in the doorway that led to the back kitchens.

Natsu didn't miss the flicker of pleased surprise that crossed his face. Natsu narrowed his eyes at him, taking him in with a whole new light. Something was different here. But Rogue turned back to them, clearly feeling otherwise.

Lucy shouted that she'd be with Gray momentarily and went to help Yukino with whatever had happened. Natsu was fairly certain he could smell smoke in the air. Reluctantly, still worried - especially because he'd not missed how she'd tripped over her own feet as she'd started back for the kitchens - Natsu turned back to the others. Sting was watching Lucy, too, he realized, with a worried look. As if he knew something Natsu didn't.

Natsu really didn't like that, considering that he was sure Sting had probably gone over when he couldn't the night before.

He found it really hard to focus his attention on everything after that. He wanted to check in with Lucy, make sure she was okay, but...Rogue. He and Wendy had craved the large family that was slowly beginning to form around them from the moment their parents had died. He was excited to see that happening once again.

So, he reluctantly made the decision to hunt down Lucy and make her talk when Rogue left. He kept half of his attention on her and the other half on his company, especially when Lucy trailed over to finally sit with Gray, a cup of coffee in her hand. He watched them out of the corner of his eye when Gray suddenly leaned in to speak quietly to her and she waved him off, shaking her head with a tired, grim smile. Gray didn't smile back; instead, he frowned and muttered something, shaking his head.

"Sorry, Rogue," Sting said suddenly, snatching his attention away from Lucy. "Lucy's his girlfriend - he can't help it."

Natsu turned a narrow-eyed glare on him, and Sting merely grinned back at him. Wendy's lips twitched as if she was fighting a smile. Natsu rolled his eyes at both of them and said sharply, "Lucy's not feeling well. I'm just making sure she's okay."

Sting grimaced, losing the teasing look. "You need to figure out how to stop those nightmares of hers. She wouldn't wake up when I went in last night, Natsu." Natsu stared at him, not prepared to hear such a thing. "I had to physically break through the door and shake her awake. And when I sat with her for a while, she couldn't sit still. She said it hurt, no matter what she did, so she might as well just go around and pack her things. She's...really not doing all that well."

Wendy's eyes darted between them. "She has nightmares?"

"Bad ones," muttered Natsu, running a hand through his pink hair. "And thanks, Sting. For helping her."

Sting shrugged. "You had other things last night, she said."

"Gajeel's ill," explained Natsu before glancing to Rogue when Rogue quietly cleared his throat, looking thoughtful.

"Be careful in what you do to try and stop the nightmares, if you do try," he said. "People have dreams for a reason. Perhaps the nightmares are trying to tell her something and she's not listening, so they get worse." His red eyes darted briefly to the blonde, who was grinning at something Gray had said. "I had dreams for a few years that sound similar to the ones she has. If you listen to them...if you pay attention, they back off."

Sting gave him an odd look, but Natsu considered that, thinking. He studied Rogue in a new light. "You have dreams, too?"

"Natsu has them," supplied Wendy in explanation when Rogue blinked.

Rogue looked to Natsu for confirmation. Natsu gave a curt nod. Normally, he didn't like admitting such matters, but there was something about Rogue that soothed away those worries. He wouldn't be judged. If anything, Rogue seemed like the kind of person who would help him work through those odd dreams he had most nights.

After debating Natsu for a few moments, Rogue leaned back in his chair and said, "Do you listen to them?"

Natsu shrugged. "I don't know. I just...go with it, I guess."

"Pay attention. To details next time." Rogue tilted his head, gaze flickering to Lucy again. He jerked his chin in her direction. "Tell her to as well. You'd be surprised how useful such dreams can be if you pay attention to them. You might learn things you didn't think would be useful."

Natsu nodded in silent thought, fascinated. He'd never thought about that. Making a mental note to pay attention the next time he had a dream, Natsu settled down to keep an eye on Lucy while simultaneously holding a conversation with his cousins.

* * *

Natsu tried to forget the roiling in his stomach as he staggered into Lucy's apartment, which had been littered with boxes. She'd just recently found a new place to live - a small house that was actually close to where Levy lived, apparently - and was clearly in the midst of packing. It was part of the reason he was there so early in the day after dropping Wendy at home; she'd asked for some help with some heavier things.

And he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to leave her alone after watching her stumble around the bakery. She'd nearly tripped over her own feet at one point and dropped a large platter of plates that had been left to be cleaned up. Gray had seen it as he was leaving and frowned, waiting until she'd caught herself to leave.

"You should take a nap," Natsu told her as he prodded her gently in the ribs. She squeaked and yanked away from the touch, surprised, and he grinned. "You're gonna fall and pass out, Luce."

Lucy waved him off, putting her hands on her hips and staring around. "I'm fine-"

"Don't lie," he said with surprising sharpness. She glanced at him, arching a brow, and he winced. Softening his tone, Natsu said firmly, "Sting told me what happened last night, Luce. You need to take a nap at least." What she really needed was a month's worth of sleep, but he didn't dare say so. She got cranky when he brought up too much on sleep now a days.

He paused when she scoffed and turned away, waving him off. He stopped and really looked at her, taking in all of the differences outside of the obvious ones, and he became even more concerned when he did. Her clothes hung off her a bit, as if she'd lost some weight, and she seemed to shake a bit when she went straight to work, moving a box that shouldn't have been _that_ heavy. Her normally soft skin looked a bit patchy and raw in some places, as if she'd been picking, and her hair was a little tangled and messy, as if she'd not had the time to shower in recent times.

Frowning, he snatched the box from her and dumped it aside, grabbing her wrists to stop her from moving away. " _Lucy_. You _have_ to sleep _._ "

She sent him a nasty little look. Undoubtedly, she thought she could scare him off now. He remembered the last time she'd tried this, and he knew it would work even less, because he knew what she was up to. "Sting said they were hurting you, Luce, that's not...you can't live like this."

She shook her head, but he ignored it and prodded her again in the ribs, earning a scowl for his efforts. "C'mon. Please? At least tell me about the nightmares, if you won't sleep. It'll help."

Lucy's lips trembled a little, and Natsu took advantage of her weakening stubbornness to gently tug her over to the sofa. He checked to make sure the door was shut before lightly poking her. She was tired enough that she just went with the motion and flopped down, scrubbing tiredly at her eyes. Natsu made sure she was set before sinking down beside her, comfortably making himself at home and stretching his legs out, playfully bumping her knee with his to try and make her feel better. It didn't do much, from the look on her face.

Natsu gave her a few seconds to think before he prompted quietly, "Luce?"

She took a deep breath and then fidgeted with her hands, her dark eyes lowering to watch her fingers. "It's not really changed, since I first told you about it, Natsu. Nothing's changed. It just gets...more detailed, inches a bit forward, I suppose, if I'm not lucky." Natsu frowned a little, but kept quiet when she continued. "I'm screaming. Because he's gone, and I can't bring him back, even though I want to try. I'm being dragged back. And then…" She took a shuddering breath. "And then there's this massive shadow, and I'm being pulled back, and then this massive shape swoops down. The next thing I know, there's this pain...I can't tell you what it is." She suddenly looked ot him, desperate. Tears shimmered in her eyes. "And then I feel like I'm being crushed between two things, and when I wake up, the pain doesn't go away."

Natsu frowned, not happy whatsoever to hear such a thing. He wasn't sure what to say about it either; what did you tell someone whose dreams caused them physical pain? He thought back to what Rogue had said and rocked forward a bit so he could peer gently into her face. "When I was talkin' to Rogue earlier, Sting brought up the dream stuff and Rogue said that he had them, too."

"He does?" Lucy said, confused and startled, and Natsu grinned at her response.

"I don't think he does anymore," confessed Natsu, remembering how Rogue had spoken in the past tense. "The way he talked, it looks like he doesn't get dreams anymore. But he was going on about how we should listen to 'em. Something about the dreams having messages, or whatever."

Lucy gave a bitter laugh and rested her head back, looking at the ceiling. "What message would _my_ dreams have, Natsu? 'Don't get crushed?'"

Natsu shrugged, a little unused to the lack of positivity she was displaying. The lack of sleep was really getting to her. Natsu gently bumped her knee with his again and told her, "You should take a nap, Luce. I'll sit with you until you're ready to get up."

Lucy sleepily hummed, already half-asleep as mumbled, "I'm sorry. We used to have fun conversations. Now all I can do is sleep when you're around."

"I don't mind," he said honestly. And he didn't. Any time he spent with Lucy was fun in his opinion, even if it was with her curled up beside him while he watched TV or something. He grinned at her. "S'fun, so long as you're around."

She gave him a faint smile in return and within seconds, he could hear her soft, even breathing. He glanced over and found her looking rather uncomfortable, but soundly asleep, her head slung back. Rolling his eyes, Natsu reached over and carefully moved her head until she looked as if she wouldn't snap her neck, not wanting her to have wrenched muscles when she finally woke up.

Confident that she was comfortably asleep, Natsu reached for the remote and settled further into the sofa, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye with a grin. He liked hanging with Lucy - even if she was asleep and he was awake, the silence just as fun as the laughter.

* * *

 _Everything was wrong, ruined, broken, gone. She knelt alone in the street, sobbing and crying and screaming until she made herself sick. She screamed and screamed, as if it would do her any good, as if it would bring back the person she loved most._

 _A voice filled her ear. Comforting, though streaked with fear. Arms circled her, trying to pull her back, but she couldn't bring herself to get up, couldn't bring herself to stop screaming that single name._

 _Screamed, and screamed, and screamed._

 _Gone. He was_ gone _. She'd tried so hard, but he was_ gone _. As if he'd never existed. The one she loved more than anyone else was gone, dead, never existed. She'd seen his smiling face as he'd stumbled towards her, arms open, smelling of smoke and familiarity and full of an internal warmth that comforted her when nothing else could. And now…_

 _Gone._

 _So she screamed._

 _Those arms around her suddenly tightened, lifting. One arm wrapped tighter around her arms, the other beneath her knees as a shadow fell over them, blocking out the sun. A cry filled their ears, so loud that she thought her eardrums would burst. She buried her face in her companion's shoulder, sobbing, and he gasped something in her ear as that massive shape slammed so hard into the ground that buildings broke and fell. They nearly fell, too._

 _She tried to tell him to leave her, that she didn't want to go without_ him _, but her companion refused her pleas and instead bolted down the ruined street. It did nothing._

 _Not when that massive creature inhaled and then allowed something wild and dark to blast from its throat. They were thrown by the force, and she was briefly disoriented, pain shooting through her left arm when she pushed herself up. She blinked dumbly at the shards of bone she thought she could see._

 _And then it was there. She screamed at the blood and flesh already in its teeth as it parted those deadly jaws. Her companion shouted her name, something cold and hard splintering against the creature's face, but it merely shook it off with a dark laugh and dropped its jaws to fire that same lethal blast point-blank at him._

 _She shrieked a name when he was hit, going down in a mess of blood and darkness._

 _Sobbing, she couldn't do a thing to stop that creature when it toyed with her. When it laughed and shoved her with its nose while simultaneously dragging a talon into place to pin her there. And then her body was being crushed between its teeth, and she felt those sharp, jagged fangs shredding and tearing, and she screamed and screamed and_ screamed-

"Lucy!"

The cry of her name startled her awake and she realized she was screaming as she woke. She slammed her mouth shut so hard and fast she bit her tongue. Body wracked with shudders, she shoved free of the sofa and the hands gently trying to shake her awake. She barely noticed when she hit the ground, too busy trying to shake free of the pain that had gripped her skin. She shoved a hand beneath her shirt, seeking the unsplit skin of her sides, feeling and smelling nothing amiss.

Natsu, standing over her with a worried look, tried to pull her upright, opening his mouth, but she was stumbling away, retching. He decided that backing off would be the better of the options - for now. He trailed anxiously behind her when she slammed to her knees over the toilet in the bathroom, silently waiting outside where she couldn't see. He waited until she was done vomiting to duck into the kitchen to grab her some water to rinse her mouth out.

By the time he'd come back, she was curled into a ball on the floor. He hesitated to touch her again, but touched her shoulder nonetheless. It hurt him, the way she recoiled as far as she could. But he pushed that hurt away and offered the glass when she peered at him through tear-crusted eyes, her face pale and haunted with misery. "Here," he said quietly.

"Thanks," she said hoarsely after she'd worked out what he meant, what he'd done. Shaking, she rose to her knees and took the water, chugging what was left of it after rinsing out her mouth.

Natsu remained where he was, crouched beside her but not touching her. His onyx eyes were wide and dark with worry and fear for his friend. He wanted to make her feel better, wanted to do something to take her dreams away, but…

He was helpless.

He felt worse about the matter when a sob wracked her body as she set the glass aside. "I can't do this," she suddenly breathed, her breathing ragged and pained. "I can't _do this_ anymore." She buried her face in her hands, doubling over her knees, and gave another sob.

Natsu swallowed thickly, unsure of what to do, but decided to try something that had always made _him_ feel better back when Igneel had found him crying from nightmares. Ignoring the way she tried to desperately shake free of his touch, Natsu scooped her up and simply tucked her into his folded legs, nestling her securely in his lap. "Natsu," she tried to protest, but he simply wrapped his arms around her tightly and rested his chin on her head, wishing he could have replicated the odd way Igneel had seemed to radiate warmth with every breath he took.

She fit perfectly like this. Natsu hated that he liked it. Maybe they'd only had one date, had only just recently decided to let that odd bond between the form into something past friendship, but he didn't care - even if _he_ had been the one to be so reluctant. Lucy was suffering, and he'd do his damn hardest to fix it.

After a few moments, Lucy took a shaking breath and relaxed, burying her face in his shoulder. He smiled faintly and shifted his grip just barely. Something was tugging again in the back of his mind, twisting and thrashing, but he ignored it. _Not now_.

"Same as last time?" he rasped when she'd calmed down, and Lucy nodded silently. He noted that, settling back against the bathroom cabinet. "Any worse?"

"Yes," she whispered, and he felt a twist of pain at the hopelessness in her voice.

He didn't bother to ask if she'd tried what Rogue had suggested; what the hell kind of message could a dream that left her in pain like that be trying to point out? He made a mental note to address the matter when he saw Rogue again, which would be when he and Wendy dragged him around Magnolia.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, "that I can't do anything to stop them. I'd stop it if I could."

Lucy took a deep breath. "Thank you, Natsu," she said quietly. "I know you would."

Natsu glanced down at her without moving, seeing only mussed strands of blonde hair when he did with his chin still tucked over the crown of her head. He returned his gaze to the bathroom wall and settled down, perfectly willing to sit there as long as she wanted.

* * *

 _A shorter chapter, but I think I'll make up for it with the next one or two! ;)_

 _I didn't know who to put with the song. So I just labeled it as a vocaloid song. Seemed pretty okay._

 _Thanks to reviewers_ _(stranger1999, Lodemai04, PinkFireandGoldenStars, LePengwen, nkukurichan, WhatAnimeHasTaughtMe, Meow Orbit, Guest #1, Bananarock509, and NaluNom!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	26. I See Fire

**. I See Fire .**

* * *

" _If this is to end in fire,_

 _Then we should all burn together –_

 _Watch the flames climb high into the night._

 _~x~_

 _And if we should die tonight,_

 _We should all die together._

…

 _I will cover my eyes,_

 _For if the dark returns, then my brothers will die,_

 _And as the sky is falling down, it crashed into this lonely town,_

 _And with that shadow on the ground, I hear my people screaming out,_

 _~x~_

 _And I see fire…hollowing souls,_

 _And I see fire, blood in the breeze,_

 _And I hope that you'll remember me."_

~ "I See Fire" by Ed Sheeran

* * *

Lucy's head spun with bleary exhaustion as she lightly scrubbed at a spot on the table. It wasn't quite opening time just yet, and she'd gone in early after a sleepless night simply so that she didn't have to sit around and do nothing.

Of course, she supposed she could have simply gone about packing. She was even nearly done. Then again, she didn't want to wake her neighbors at early hours of the morning – especially Sting, who'd been so nice to her about everything regarding her nightmares.

She paused to tuck the rag into her apron and then rubbed at her eyes and face, yawning widely. Heavens above, she really just…wanted to sleep dreamlessly until she was fully rested. She ran her hands through her blonde hair, pushing it out of her face and gathering it into a ponytail. She checked the time.

Almost opening time. Good. She could focus on her customers and keeping an eye out for Natsu, who'd be stopping by at some point to try and discuss their next date since he'd been unable to come over the night before. Something about a late night out with Rogue and Sting, which might have explained Sting coming in at a ridiculous hour, singing drunkenly in the hall.

She was happy despite her misery, even excited that Natsu was so eager for another. Even with the mess her life was, she'd managed to snag his attention enough to keep it in the direction she'd like to take their relationship. She very much looked forward to whatever he came up with; she just hoped she didn't pass out halfway through.

The time until her bakery's opening time flew by, much to Lucy's delight, and she was officially opening up when a humming Lisanna bustled in. She flashed Lucy a friendly look, and Lucy waved in silent greeting. Lucy made a mental note of who'd be working that day. Lisanna had a morning shift, as did Mirajane, and then Mirajane would leave early and Lucy would take over her shift in the afternoon so that they could go and do something with their brother. A high school worker would be there for only an hour or so before Yukino arrived to take over, something Lucy knew she'd be immensely grateful for.

She loved the younger men and women that came through her bakery, but they applied and quit so often that they weren't very reliable.

By the time Lisanna had come out, customers had already begun to come in and out. Lucy winked playfully at Lisanna when the second she stepped out, someone dropped a mug on their way to a table and shattered it on the floor.

Lisanna sighed heavily. "I've got it!" she called to no one in particular. Lucy grinned and shouted her gratitude back before turning back to the customer in front of her.

Mirajane came in only an hour later, a few minutes late and horrified with herself. "I'm sorry, Lucy!" she wailed as she bolted out of the back after leaving her things in their normal place. She tied her apron with wide blue eyes as she came to stand beside her friend. "I didn't mean to be late. My boyfriend's in town, and –"

Lucy, guessing what she and said boyfriend had been up to, held a hand up. "Don't," she told Mirajane, who grinned impishly at her, "finish that sentence." She smiled to show she wasn't trying to be rude. "You're fine. It's not like we're all that strict on that kind of stuff anyways. If you're a decent worker, at least," she added under her breath, making a mental note to fire one of her younger employees, who'd not shown up in days as of two days prior.

Mirajane sighed softly. "And I'm grateful for it." She whisked a pastry out when a customer made a request for an extra, allowing Lucy to do the transaction before handing it over. When the customer had thanked them and left, Mirajane spoke softly, gently patting her shoulder. "How are you doing? You look so tired, Lucy…"

Lucy huffed softly. "I'm fine," she declared immediately, refusing to acknowledge that she may or may not have an issue. She swallowed thickly, ignoring the disbelieving look on Mirajane's face – until Mirajane opened her mouth again. "I said I'm _fine_ ," she said sharply, shooting her a glare. "I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

Mirajane hesitated, but then nodded. "Just…we're here if you need us, okay?" she said softly, smiling faintly. "For anything you need us for. And not just Lisanna and I. Elfman, Yukino, Gray, Levy…Natsu. I'm sure Natsu would give you the moon if he could."

Lucy wasn't sure why such a comment made her smile so warmly, but it did. "Thanks, Mira," Lucy said in a low voice and then turned away.

She didn't know what she'd do without her beloved employees.

* * *

"You know," said Lisanna as she munched away on a muffin she'd snagged from a pile of freshly baked ones. She and Lucy were standing behind the counter, waiting for another customer to come in. It was a slow part of mid-morning, and Lucy had happily settled back with her to wait as Mirajane did inventory for her. "Outside of worrying for you and those shadows under your eyes, I don't think I've ever been this…" She fought for the word. "Content," she finished finally. "Happy. It's kind of nice."

Lucy, mid-chew, glanced at Lisanna curiously. "I'm happy to hear this, Lisanna, but where's it coming from?"

Lisanna shrugged, swiping crumbs away after cramming the rest into her mouth. When she'd finished chewing and swallowing, she said, "I don't know, I just…do you ever have moments where you're like, 'You know, this is where I'm supposed to be, and I'm perfectly happy to be here?'"

"I can't say that I do," said Lucy, arching a brow with an amused glint in her eyes.

"Mm, then you're missing out." Lisanna winked. "It's nice." She looked out at the bakery, and Lucy thought that a sad look crossed her face despite her words. After a moment, she murmured, "I do still think some parts are missing, but there's nothing I can do about that. And you can't always have everything you want, so…" She sighed. "I'm perfectly happy to settle with what I have."

A little concerned for Lisanna now, Lucy demanded, "Where's this coming from, Lisanna? Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm as fine as I've ever been," Lisanna said, waving her off with a grin. "Just…thinking back. That's all." She suddenly nodded at the door when the bell rang. "I think that will probably be a guest for you, Lucy."

Lucy looked over, and then straightened. "Levy," she called in greeting, pretending that she wasn't laughing under her breath at the fact that Levy was followed by the massive figure of Gajeel, who dwarfed her. Gajeel's eyes were only for the short, blue-haired curator, and Lucy had no doubt that what Natsu had said about Gajeel's word revolving around Levy now a days despite having only known her a few months was entirely correct.

"Hi, Lucy!" Levy called back, her cane clacking as she made her way in the direction of the counter. Lucy watched Gajeel clear his throat, and blinked when Levy immediately swerved to avoid something.

"Huh," said Lisanna, and Lucy knew that she'd seen it, too. "Cute."

Lucy choked on a laugh and then leaned on the counter when Levy reached it, ignoring the look Gajeel suddenly began to give her. She knew she looked like a mess, and she didn't want to talk about it anymore. Too many people had begun to approach her about it, and Lucy couldn't say she appreciated people putting their noses in where they didn't belong. "What's up? Here for some breakfast?"

"With caffeine, please," Levy said with a grin. She inclined her head in Gajeel's direction. "He's paying."

Gajeel frowned at her, although Lucy thought she could detect a smirk playing along his lips. "I didn't say I was paying," he muttered, and Levy waved him off, clearing not care whether he wanted to pay or not. She leaned on her cane a little as Gajeel handed over his card anyways, not truly minding.

"Is Natsu with Rogue?" Lucy asked as she dealt with the transaction. "I know he, Wendy, and Sting have been all over the poor man."

Gajeel shrugged, smirk fading a little. "Yeah. Should be with him. S'where we're going, actually." He glanced briefly at Levy, a furrow appearing in his brow. "Rogue wanted to visit the museum. So we're gonna meet them all there and Levy's gonna give 'em the tour."

"With benefits," Levy added, grinning at nothing in particular. "We got some new discoveries form a site out in Hargeon, so I've been doing a lot of work with them, and there was a few things I thought Wendy and Gajeel might be interested in. Natsu only really cares about that scarf, but no surprise there."

Lucy didn't really understand what Levy meant by that, but didn't bother to ask. It wasn't really any of her business.

"Natsu should come by afterwards," Gajeel added suddenly. "Said he probably would be ditching us after the tour and there's nowhere else the moron would go."

Thinking that people had made a lot of insinuations about Natsu's seeming obsession with Lucy and her bakery, Lucy shrugged and said, "He's gone elsewhere before." And he had. When he'd been avoiding her, he'd hung out with Sting quite a bit. Lucy worried a little about how close the pair had been getting; it meant trouble, with Natsu's their matching levels of energy and hidden intelligence.

Lucy _knew_ for a fact that Natsu hid just how smart he was, just so people would underestimate him when it mattered.

Lisanna handed over their requested food and drinks along with an extra bag of gifted treats for those they were going to meat at Lucy's demand, and Levy and Gajeel went to leave. Levy suddenly stopped, however, and turned back. "Oh! Lucy, I forgot to tell you – Gray stopped by to say bye yesterday," she sounded rather impressed with the matter, "and said he forgot to drop a key for his apartment with you. He said to tell you that he'd stop by the bakery this afternoon."

"Got it." Lucy nodded, grimacing. She'd forgotten to ask. Gray always left a key for her, just in case he needed her to get in or something happened in the apartment or house he lived in. "Thanks, Levy!" she added as Levy waved in farewell before turning her face towards Gajeel.

Lucy watched them closely, her gaze warming when she saw how Gajeel oh-so-casually took a hold of her elbow and moved her over just an inch, so she'd keep from knocking her hip into a table someone had knocked out of its normal alignment. Lucy fully expected Levy to snap at him, but instead, she merely beamed.

Lisanna, watching, too, grinned and told Lucy, "See? _That's_ the kind of interactions we see with you and Natsu. The way you guys look at each other…" She laughed at the way Lucy spluttered at her. "Seriously, Lucy. That's what Yukino and I told Natsu when Sting dragged us into the situation and got us involved. The way you look at one another is what we all want from someone in a relationship."

Lucy grimaced, losing her smile. "I don't know if I really like you guys talking about our personal lives like that…" But it must have been the one day, she realized, before Natsu had started avoiding her, when he'd left in a huff, angry with his cousin. "And who knows if he'll keep looking at me like you say he looks at me." She turned to go and start preparing some fresh cookies that would be that day's special, waving Lisanna off. "I doubt he'll stay if the nightmares keep up."

* * *

A shout of her name had Lucy sleepily lifting her head from where she'd been napping at a table in the corner of the bakery. She blinked blearily, squinting, and then smiled as brightly as she could, forcing the dark thoughts that had gathered in the back of her head away. "Natsu!" she called in response when she recognized the familiar pink head.

Natsu, hovering near the door as he looked around, snapped his head around. She did her best to push her exhaustion back, but didn't miss the look of worry in his eyes. She fought back the sting of annoyance that always accompanied someone looking such a way now a days, telling herself that all of the worried looks were just people proving they cared.

She'd closed the bakery down for the day almost two hours early, too tired to keep up with the normal stream of customers. Most that she'd nudged out early hadn't minded, only giving her a sympathetic look. Yukino was finishing sweeping and cleaning up and now, Lucy was just waiting on Gray to stop by.

She yawned and propped her chin on her palm. "How was the tour? Levy stopped by."

"It was great!" Natsu said enthusiastically, rocking back and forth in his excitement. He looked very much like a child who'd gone on a school field trip, Lucy thought, energized by the wild look in his wide eyes. "She showed us some new stuff, and it turns out Rogue knows a bit about history, too. Gajeel won't admit it, but I think he likes him."

"Mm," Lucy hummed, thinking. "Probably. He doesn't admit to very much, does he?"

Natsu shook his head, and then launched into a retelling of everything that had happened at the museum, making wild gestures with his hand that earned giggles from Yukino when she came to sweep near them.

He was in the middle of explaining to them about something new that had come from Hargeon – pieces of something that had been fished out from the ocean, suggesting some kind of ancient transportation – when the bell rang. Lucy flinched violently, and she didn't miss how Natsu winced, too. It made his head hurt, too, then, she thought. She'd need to get rid of it if it wasn't just her.

All three looked over to find a thoughtful, agitated woman none of them recognized peering with interest around the bakery. Lucy excused herself and ducked out of her table, starting towards her. "Excuse me," said Lucy politely, and she looked at her curiously, a spark of what she thought to be recognition flickering through her eyes. "I'm sorry, but we're closed. We open early, around seven in the morning if you'd be interested in coming back tomorrow."

She ignored her, and instead frowned at Lucy, asking, "Are you Lucy Heartfilia?"

Lucy, taken aback, glanced back at Natsu and Yukino. Both were silent, watching intently. Natsu had twisted in his chair, arm slung over the back, and was eyeing the woman warily, not trusting her. Yukino didn't look too inclined to like her either.

Noting that, Lucy turned back to her. "Yes," she said evenly, "I'm Lucy Heartfilia. I'm the owner of the Heartfilia Bakery."

She smiled at her, studying her closely in silence until Lucy felt a little disconcerted. She shifted, and Lucy saw a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye when Natsu rose to his feet slowly, ready to intervene if need be.

Suddenly, the woman grinned, short blonde hair seeming to stand on end. "Good," she commented, confusing Lucy further, and in one prompt, smooth movement, pulled a gun from her jacket pocket, leveling it confidently at Lucy's head.

* * *

The world seemed to still when the weird woman who'd come in pointed the gun at Lucy's head, the end just barely resting against the skin of her forehead. Lucy went stock still and Yukino muffled a gasp, body recoiling back in fear. Natsu found himself instinctively sweeping Yukino behind him. "Lucy," breathed Yukino, and he inclined his head, eyes narrowed and flicking back and forth as he fought to figure out what to do.

A thought occurred to him. He dug in his pocket and then pulled his phone free, pressing it into Yukino's hand. She took it with hands that shook so hard she almost dropped it. Hoping the woman wouldn't notice, Natsu lightly stepped aside and gripped her shoulder, pushing until Yukino was on the ground on her knees. He discretely poked and nudged at her, indicating she should get under the table. He didn't think the woman had noticed her all that much, nor him, although Natsu wasn't about to hide when Lucy was in danger.

He'd give his friend credit; she not only held as still as a deer, but she also kept a mask of calm. She merely pressed her lips together, effectively hiding how scared she was. "Are you here to rob us? We don't keep a safe here, so it's all in the register."

"No," said the woman, sneering at her. "This is personal. An old grudge, you could say." She laughed bitterly at something she'd said, finding it funny, although Natsu didn't think _anything_ going on right now was all that funny.

The laughter stopped when Natsu had managed to take two steps over. The gun turned in his direction and though Natsu froze, he let out a gust of air in relief when it was turned away from Lucy. " _Don't move_ ," barked the woman with a glowering look. "Stay where you are."

Natsu held his hands up in surrender, sliding his feet carefully just an inch closer. Just enough that he wouldn't be noticed. "What kind of old grudge demands you shoot someone who doesn't know who you are?" He could see it on her face; Lucy had no idea who she was looking at or what she could have done to upset her so much.

The woman paused suddenly, studying him with surprise. "Huh," she muttered, and then gave another bark of laughter. "Natsu Dragneel. Shouldn't be surprised." She glared at Lucy, the gun still aimed at Natsu. She was staring at it anxiously, worried that the woman would pull the trigger. "You guys were partners, right? At least it means I won't have to track you down next."

A yank in the back of his head made him wince. Something tickled the back of his mind. Something he couldn't quite grasp. "Look, lady," he said calmly, "we don't know who you are, but what do you want?"

"Natsu," Lucy hissed, not sure she wanted him any more involved than he was, but the woman only grinned. In one smooth movement, she'd suddenly kicked Lucy's feet out from underneath her. Lucy yelped as she hit the ground hard, the breath driven from her lungs. Natsu instinctively lurched forward a step, but stopped when a warning shot was fired off. Natsu flinched at the loud sound, ignoring the pain that slashed through his cheek and listening to the glass of a display cabinet shatter.

"Natsu," Lucy repeated, this time in terror, craning her head to make sure he was okay when the woman suddenly put a foot on her chest and pressed down. She wheezed, trying to pry at it, but the woman only laughed and suddenly struck at the blonde's face, earning a cry of pain that fueled rage unlike any other Natsu had ever felt in his blood.

Help would arrive; Yukino would have either called someone and kept quiet or texted someone who _could_ get immediate help. But the goal now, he realized, would be to keep the woman talking – keep him from shooting either of them.

"It's almost funny," muttered the woman, cocking her head. Pale hair shifted, swinging into her eyes, but she didn't seem to care. "Who knew that tracking you down would be this easy? You Fairy Tail bastards…wonder who else I'll be able to find in this stupid town. I bet they're all like you – clueless. Revenge will be so easy, it's _pathetic._ "

Unease flooded Natsu. _Fairy Tail?_ He felt as if something had cracked in his mind, a dam bursting down to the deepest part of its foundation. His head ached – badly. He shoved that aside desperately as the woman shoved down harder, making Lucy gasp desperately, thrashing and trying to free herself.

"Stop it," he said angrily, a furious sound escaping him when Lucy gave a squeak of pain as the woman leaned harder on her chest. He stumbled forward a few steps, trying to figure out how to get to Lucy without her ending up shot. "Please, just _stop it_ –"

The shot flooded his ears, flooring him, and that dam _shattered_.

* * *

Lucy felt numb when Natsu hit the ground, blood spattering the floors Yukino had just cleaned. "Natsu!" she screamed, struggling to free herself from the crazed woman. She shoved and shoved and was surprised when the woman suddenly removed her foot, grinning.

Not caring if she was shot for it, Lucy crawled on her hands and knees until she reached him. Tears rolled down her cheeks when she felt blood seep into her jeans, but she ignored the feeling as Natsu hissed. _Alive_. He was alive. She shoved him over until he was on his back. She did a brief run through, noting the deep wound on his cheek. _The cabinet. When the cabinet was broken._ She ignored it, more worried about the blood pooling over his gut.

Heaving for air in her panic, Lucy pushed her hands lightly over the spot, hoping it would help stop the bleeding but knowing that it wouldn't do much. They needed a hospital – an ambulance. _Now_.

Crimson stained her hands; more dripped from a gash on her cheekbone. "Natsu," she breathed, "Natsu, can you hear me?"

Blearily, he blinked at her, eyes somewhat hazy – and full of confused horror. He stared at her as if he'd never seen her before, as if he'd just woken up and discovered something he'd never thought possible. "Luce?" he slurred, sounding rather puzzled. His eyes were locked on something – the cut, Lucy realized a moment later. He was staring at the cut in sheer terror.

And then the woman was back, laughing as she grabbed Lucy's long hair and dragged her back. Lucy yelped, and Natsu bared his teeth in a furious look, trying desperately to shift and get back up. Lucy felt a flicker of panic. He needed to stay still, not make it worse!

"I didn't get to finish my work last time," hummed the angry woman. She threw a wicked smirk over her shoulder at Natsu. "I promised to carve out her pretty little eyes, didn't I? Maybe I should finish that. You stopped me last time…I owe you for that, too."

"Stop it," Natsu rasped, going white. " _Stop it_."

A thrill of fear so intense it locked her muscles ran through her. Lucy shouted, both in panic and pain, starting to thrash to try and free herself, when the woman left her for only a moment – and came back with a knife she'd tracked down, still out after being used to cut muffins in halves earlier in the afternoon.

Lucy took one look at that knife and steeled herself, scrambling back, feeling cold when her fingers slid on blood. Natsu's arms buckled when he tried to drag himself up again, eyes wide and locking with hers when she looked back at him.

The bell rang.

The woman, startled, snapped her head up to find Gray standing in the doorway, staring at the scene before him in complete and utter shock, his hand still holding the door open. His mouth dropped open – and Lucy lurched for the woman, slamming into her knees. The woman screamed in outrage as she hit the ground. Hot pain licked up Lucy's arm, but she ignored it, kicking the dropped knife away and clambering on top of her to pin her. Lucy yelped in terror when the gun went off, and a window nearby shattered, sprinkling them with broken glass.

"Gray!" Lucy screeched as he flung himself into the fray, prying the gun from the woman's hands. He pushed it at Lucy, shoving her a second later, and Lucy gasped as she fell backwards, keeping a white-knuckled grip on that weapon. The woman tried to lurch after it, but Gray simply landed a well-aimed blow to her jaw and she went limp.

Silence fell. Lucy heard Yukino crying as she crawled out of hiding, heard Gray say something to her, demanding, and Natsu's heavy breathing, thick and wet and raspy.

"Natsu," she breathed, shoving the gun aside. She crawled through the broken glass until she reached him, pressing her hands over his wound again. He was nearing unconsciousness, his gaze searching for something but unable to find it.

"Shit," whispered Gray when he realized what had happened. He didn't move, not daring to leave the woman unwatched, but Yukino scrambled over to help, not seeming to care about the blood that stuck to her pale skin. She checked Natsu's pulse, glancing worriedly up at Lucy.

"I…I messaged…" Yukino's voice faltered and then she tried again. "I texted Gajeel," she said softly, voice quaking violently. "His number was first. I…he said that he'd…the police. They're coming."

"Thank you," Lucy said blankly, each breath shuddering and aching in her throat. She realized distantly that each exhale came out as a loud sob.

It was the only sound in the otherwise silent bakery.

* * *

When red and blue lights danced across the walls and people came in, some escorting the woman who'd attacked them out and others sweeping in to help those who'd been attacked, Gray stuck close to Lucy. She was staring blankly at Natsu, even as Yukino moved aside to give the professionals the room to work. He was worried about her, just as worried about her as he was about Natsu, who'd fallen completely unconscious minutes ago, not responding at all.

The officials had come. Not long after he'd gotten there, actually, only a matter of minutes. He was relieved that he didn't have to worry about the woman that was so familiar coming after his friends again now. He tried not to think of her, her name, what she'd done now and in the past. He _knew_ her, but refused to acknowledge that people like her had come back to torment them again.

"Come on, Lucy," Gray said softly when he got a gentle but firm look from one of the men working on Natsu. He felt a flicker of unease when he wrapped his arms lightly around her and began gently pulling her back. Her legs buckled, and a soft, broken sound left her lips. "No," she murmured, her voice lifting with panic. "No, I have to stay with-"

"We're in the way," Gray said quietly, hauling her back even as she began to writhe, trying to free herself. "Lucy, we have to stay back so they can work, alright?" His heart ached when she gave a broken sob, nearly collapsing. This was like last time, he couldn't help but think, too much like last time, when that damn shadow had swept down to torment them all.

Gray forced himself to ignore that feeling as he swept her up into his arms. She gave up a moment later, simply burying her face in his shoulder, and Gray gave her a half-hug as he carried her outside. "Yukino will ride with him," he said loudly, and Yukino threw him a thumbs up to show she'd heard. She looked as if she might be in shock, but was functioning at least. "Okay? You're hurt, too. We're gonna have to go to a hospital, too. Are you okay with that?"

She hated hospitals; he knew that better than almost anyone. She was terrified of them, hated them with a passion after her mother's illness. But they didn't have a choice at the moment, and he'd make sure she had support the entire way, even if it meant cancelling his trip with Lyon. Lyon wouldn't care. Not with something like this.

Lucy took a shuddering breath suddenly, peering up at him. She looked worse than ever, he realized, with black bruises beneath her eyes. Her skin was ghostly pale, her body trembling and stained with Natsu's and her own blood. A nasty gash started at her temple and stretched along her cheekbone. She didn't deserve this. A pain shot through him.

So, so close. He'd been so close to losing Lucy again - and Natsu, too. If he'd not gone in...hadn't forgot to leave a key with her...

Who knows what would have happened.

"I'll make sure we get information on Natsu when we get there, and I'm sure Wendy and Gajeel will be there, too," he promised, and Lucy only nodded, closing her eyes.

By the time he climbed into the ambulance with her, she was unconscious, too.

* * *

 _As if I wouldn't include angst beyond just memories and sadness._

 _Thanks to reviewers_ _(Meow Orbit, itsxoi, FairyTailxFanGirl, LePengwen, and nkukurichan!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	27. Organs

**. Organs .**

* * *

" _And I should eat you up and spit you right out_

 _I should not care, but I don't know how._

…

" _I am sorry for the trouble, I suppose._

 _My blood runs red, but my body feels so cold._

…

 _So I take off my face_

 _Because it reminds me of how it all went wrong,_

 _And I pull out my tongue_

 _Because it reminds me of how it all went wrong._

 _~x~_

 _And I cough up my lungs,_

 _Because they remind me of how it all went wrong,_

 _But I leave in my heart,_

 _Because I don't want to stay in the dark."_

~ "Organs" by Of Monsters and Men

* * *

The first thing he noticed was, naturally, the pain. It was a dull fire, right smack in the middle of his left side. He wanted to laugh at its placement; he'd once carried a scar there, and it appeared he was destined to always have it. It hurt, that injury, but not bad enough to drag him back into unconsciousness.

He'd never been one for lazing about, regardless of injury.

So, Natsu Dragneel pried his eyes open and blinked at the near blinding lights. There was a painfully annoying tube in his nose, taped in place, and a tug on his flesh that told him an IV was stuck into his arm. He grimaced at that, but didn't dare tug it out. He didn't try to move, knowing that he'd only make his wound hurt worse, but he did turn his head, peering around the room.

A hospital room. He was in a hospital room, though he couldn't for the life of him figure out _why_. That dull fire was the reason, yes, but he couldn't remember why he had that pain. He squinted at a clock, already tired. By the lighting in the window and the time there, it was early morning. Seven or so. He didn't care about the details.

He noted a figure dozing in an uncomfortable chair nearby and squinted sleepily at them. He gave up figuring out who it was after a moment, eyes sliding shut. He was too tired, and the injury was only starting to hurt more and more.

He'd figure it out later.

* * *

When he came to again, he felt a little more awake. It was later in the day – the afternoon or so, he thought – and there was someone fidgeting with some wires nearby. He blinked at them, wary, and then rolled his eyes over, eyes fluttering sleepily when someone spoke.

"Were there any changes?"

"Mm," hummed a young woman's voice. "There was a weird moment with his heart rate earlier, but that might have been a glitch in the machines. I'll have someone come and take a look. There's no sign of an infection though, so there's that." She seemed cheerful. Too cheerful. And rather familiar, he couldn't help but think. He'd heard that voice somewhere before – the other one, too.

The first person sighed. "Thanks."

"Of course!" The second laughed softly and added, "It's almost four, right? You'll be able to go home soon. Make sure you get some real sleep. Not just in that chair. You won't do him or yourself any good if you don't get any sleep yourself." She paused, and then asked, "Did they identify the woman who did it?"

"Dimeria Yesta," said the first. "Yukino said that she was claiming some odd things when she attacked them…she's been arrested and charged with attempted murder, so I doubt she'll be doing much now."

 _Dimeria._ His blood ran cold. He didn't like that name – didn't like that name one bit. It was accompanied by memories of gold splashed with crimson, bloodied eyes, and a loss so immense he didn't think he'd ever felt something like that again.

And then he was tired again, oh so tired. He tried to push his eyes open again, but they wouldn't work, and Natsu gratefully sank back into the darkness.

* * *

When he awoke a third time, Natsu found that he felt immensely more awake than the other times. He blinked his eyes open immediately. That dull fire remained, but was a little more muted than the other times. Relieved, he instinctively searched the room, wondering who was there this time.

Three figures, all standing at the back of the room near the door. He recognized two immediately, felt something in his chest twist as conflicting thoughts crossed his mind upon seeing them. One clutched at the other's arm, looking anxious. The third he recognized, too, but not from this life. He'd never seen her before in this weird world he'd woken up in.

And then Wendy looked back, and her eyes lit with startled delight. "Natsu!" she shrieked, making their oldest cousin and the woman beside them jump. Gajeel immediately cranked his head back to look, blinking, and the woman shoved past him to come over.

Natsu eyed her suspiciously when she stood over him, immediately doing checks. "Ow," he grumbled when she prodded carefully at the spot in which that odd dull fire resided. "Watch it."

Cold eyes leveled him with a nasty look as the woman said, "Don't tell me to 'watch it,' boy. You're quite lucky that the situation you got yourself into didn't go any worse than it did." Despite the harsh words, Natsu detected a glint in her eyes that spoke volumes, and his stomach twisted with confusion.

She turned to Gajeel and Wendy, who were both waiting where they'd been although Wendy was squirming and bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I need to do some tests and checks, but I'll give you some time before I do. Need to set them up anyways." She brushed past them without waiting to hear their response.

Natsu sighed softly when she was gone.

Porlyusica had never been his favorite person, nor had she ever been all that fond of him.

In a flash, Wendy was at the bed, her dark eyes wide and shimmering with tears. "Natsu!" she cried, and he forced himself to crack a small grin just for her. Even as he felt sick just looking at her, confused by how she was standing there in front of him. He didn't know where she'd gone, he realized. When things had gone all wrong. He had no idea where Wendy had been. Hargeon, maybe? He didn't know.

"Hey, Wendy," he rasped. She latched onto his hand, and he let her squeeze it with reluctance before glancing tiredly in Gajeel's direction. Gajeel was watching him warily from just behind Wendy – studying him in a way that made Natsu uncomfortable. Finally, he grunted, relaxing.

"I'm gonna kick your ass when you get out of that bed," Gajeel gritted out. "You know what it's like gettin' a text from your phone like that?"

Natsu wondered briefly what Yukino had sent, but pushed back such thoughts. They reminded him of _her_ , and he didn't want to think of that. Not when the last thing he remembered was her being dragged off by the hair, Dimeria threatening to carve her eyes out. He felt sick at the mere thought. He couldn't – not when those new memories lingered and mixed in with her retreating figure beside Gray, the last he'd seen of her before–

"S'not like I asked for it this time," muttered Natsu, resting his head back comfortably. He took as deep a breath as he could manage, a twinge of pain shooting through him. "Sorry though." His throat was thick when he added, "I didn't go in meaning to scare everyone."

He remembered Gajeel's threat. If he made Wendy cry again, he'd be booted to the curb.

Luckily, it looked as if he wasn't going to be blamed this time. Gajeel merely grumbled and Wendy smiled through her tears at him, simply relieved to see that he was alive and looking as if he'd make a full recovery for the time being.

Natsu knew that he could have asked.

But that lovely shade of gold splashed with crimson filled his thoughts, and he drove them away, keeping his mouth firmly shut.

* * *

A week passed, full of sleep and visitors and tests. The hospital staff was friendly enough, although Natsu couldn't say he really cared much for them. Mostly because they made him lay there doing noting for the most part. A few people came in and out to visit – primarily his four cousins, although Natsu had been surprised with a visit from a very grateful Yukino as well as a visit from none other than Gray Fullbuster.

That visit had been awkward as hell, mostly because Natsu had been so disoriented from sleep and pain medications and memories, that he'd nearly given his confused state of mind away to the quite, grim-faced man. Gray had said that he'd merely wanted to gather Natsu's state of well-being for _her_ sake, although Natsu had blocked out anything else he'd said about her.

To put it simply, Natsu had hated all of their visits, wanting them to leave as soon as they arrived.

When he was eventually released, Natsu still hadn't heard nor seen from her, and he didn't know if it was a good or bad thing. He knew he could have called. Could have simply asked rather than turning away any time someone brought her up.

But he remembered her piercing screams as that odd darkness closed in and washed him away, remembered her panicked eyes as Dimeria dragged her away from him.

He couldn't separate which was the past, which was the present, and which one to believe regardless.

He didn't think he'd be able to handle it if it was confirmed that his suspicions were true and that she was gone in both worlds. His exhausted, confused state was certainly not helped along by the lack of fire in his veins. He couldn't draw on that heat that had supported him for so long, and it drove him into such an agitated state on some days that Wendy had begun to avoid him at the first sign he was upset.

It was only three days after he'd been released from the hospital, in which he was seated at the dining room table in his shared house, that a grunt signaled the arrival of Gajeel. He glanced over, hand still curled around his mug – and blinked when he realized what Gajeel carried. "What are you doing?" Natsu snapped, immediately scrambling to his feet. He hissed in pain, but shoved it back. " _What are you doing_?"

Gajeel dropped the box he'd brought down from the attic onto the table. "We need to clean out," he said bluntly, "and you need to deal with this stuff. You've got nothing else to do since you can't run around, and you refuse to have anything to do with Lucy–"

Natsu cut him off. "Don't touch Igneel's stuff," he barked. A rage not unlike the one he'd felt when he'd heard her cries of pain filled him and he found himself staggering over to Gajeel, limbs stiff. His rage guttered, flooding every inch of him, and he did his best to give Gajeel an angry shove. "Do _not_ touch his things. This is his house. Don't…don't screw with his stuff, Gajeel."

Gajeel blinked, seeming a little caught off guard by the sudden rage. Natsu very rarely reacted so violently, so angrily, to anything. He frowned a little at him, a flicker of anger appearing in turn. "You're not the only one who has to deal with their dead parent's stuff, Natsu. Wendy and I are doing it, too."

"I don't _care_ ," snarled Natsu, "what you guys are doing. Touch Igneel's stuff, and I'll find anything left of Metalicana's and _burn it._ "

Gajeel bristled, furious with the suggestion, but simply turned and stormed off instead of retaliating. Natsu eyed him angrily as he left, knowing that had he not been injured, he'd have likely been punched for the threat.

Still shaking with anger and unable to truly explain it to Gajeel, Natsu turned his attention on the unopened box left behind on the table. Gajeel wouldn't get it, Natsu thought bitterly, hesitantly approaching that box. How could he understand what it was like to find yourself stuck between two lives, unsure of what was real and what wasn't?

Natsu grumbled to himself, stuck as he stared at the stupid box. He could leave it, not touch it, until it gathered dust on that table. He could probably rip open his wound carrying it back to the attic.

Or…he could open it, shuffle through its insides like Gajeel had demanded he do.

He hesitantly brushed his fingers over the familiar handwriting on the side, taking a shuddering breath. Igneel's handwriting…but Igneel was dead, twice over. Natsu felt tears flood his eyes, burning beneath his eyelids. Igneel would have known what to do, he realized, slowly drawing out a chair to sit back down. Igneel would have known what to think, would have taken him seriously and tried to understand if he explained to him what had happened, if he'd told him that Natsu found himself stuck between two different lives.

But Igneel was dead, and Natsu felt so alone, stuck without even that familiar scarf as a reminder of the one who'd left him like that.

No one else could possibly understand, and if he tried to explain to Gajeel, or to Wendy, they'd judge him, laugh his thoughts off. Well, Wendy wouldn't, but she'd not believe him.

Natsu swallowed thickly, toying with one of the four pieces that were carefully folded in, shutting the box's contents away. He didn't want to open it, to accept what had been real for so long. He didn't want that reminder, that he'd never get to see Igneel and appreciate that time while it lasted.

A second chance. He'd had a second chance, and he'd not appreciated it as much as he should have.

And to make matters worse, the one person he trusted to _not_ judge him was gone, too. Had to be. She couldn't have survived, not with the screams that filled his dreams and every waking thought. Not with the blood-stained gold. He'd not appreciated her enough either. He'd taken everything for granted.

Remembering how careless he'd been, how unappreciative he'd felt when he'd avoided her for so long…he nearly just took the box and threw it angrily to the floor. _This_. This was why he'd been so hesitant to offer or accept that stupid date. He wasn't good enough, and he'd effectively proved that by not being there when he should have been. To top it all off, she was a copy. Nothing but a vivid copy of the real one.

But Natsu steadied himself, forced himself to stare at that box even as each breath came and left in ragged gasps.

He couldn't bring himself to open it, but he didn't dare leave it alone at that table lest it disappear into thin air. So, he slowly dragged it closer, rested his chin on that box, and closed his eyes, nearly hugging it.

Natsu thought he could detect just a fraction of the warmth Igneel had exuded when he'd pulled his son in for hugs, laughing, and felt his heart break a little more.

* * *

Natsu must have fallen asleep at the table, arms still around that box, because the next thing he knew, a gentle hand was shaking him awake. Natsu blinked blearily a few times, wincing at the crick in his neck as he turned to look. Wendy was peering at him anxiously, worried. Her dark eyes searched his for a moment before she said softly, "Natsu?"

"I'm fine," he muttered instinctively, slowly leaning back in his chair. He winced; he'd missed the time in which he was supposed to take the pain medications. He could feel it the second he moved. "Just…thinking. What's up?"

Wendy, ever so observant, said, "I'll go get your medication."

She disappeared into the kitchen, returning only minutes later with a few pills and some water. She set them down beside his box and then faltered, studying Igneel's handwriting on the side. Rather than saying anything about it, she met Natsu's gaze, took a deep breath, and said, "Lucy's here."

Natsu jolted and then swore loudly when a sharp lick of agony ripped up his spine. Pressing a hand over his side, ignoring Wendy's wide-eyed worry and grimace, he took a deep breath, waiting for the pain to subside. Finally, he gritted out, "No, she's not."

Wendy looked bewildered by his answer. "She is. She said Gajeel called her over because you'd asked him to."

Natsu was going to kill his cousin as soon as he'd recovered enough to have the ability. "I didn't. He's lying. I didn't tell him that, and she's not here."

Looking increasingly confused and concerned, Wendy said, turning away, "Look, I'll just send her in–"

Angry that no one was listening to him regarding anything to do with _her_ , Natsu knocked the glass she'd brought him from the table and shouted, " _She's_ _not_!"

" _Natsu_ ," Wendy gasped as the glass shattered on the floor, but he continued, vicious grief ripping through his chest.

"She's not here," he snarled, smacking a hand loudly on the table as his voice rose to a shout, "and I'm tired of people _lying to me about it_!" He was tired in general of people lying to him about _everything_. This _wasn't real_ , and no one seemed to care or notice! Where was the magic? Where was the flames he could so easily bring to life with a single flick of his fingers? Where was the girl of starlight that had pretended to be angry when he'd crept into bed with her, plagued by dreams of her death? Where was his talking blue cat, his guild, his friends, his _family_?

Because they most certainly were _not_ here! How could they think themselves anything like the people he'd gone through so much with? They were all false – copies of people who were so much more.

Natsu remembered dying for them. He remembered smiling, even while filled with that dread as he knew what was coming, just for _her_ , so that she'd remember him with that smile. He remembered her screams as his death meant _nothing_.

Everything, all for her. All for the starlit girl, who'd been such a shining light in his life that he'd forgotten how he'd survived before he'd quite literally fallen into her life, and she into his.

And it meant _nothing_.

"Natsu, calm down," pleaded Wendy, but he ignored her, stumbling to his feet. The pain only made him more frantic, and he staggered as the chair tipped back, slamming into the ground. He grabbed the nearest thing that wasn't his box and threw it, not caring when his newly purchased phone shattered into a thousand pieces on the wall. Wendy yelped, skittering back, and Natsu's frustration grew when it did nothing to make him feel better.

What was the point of waking up in a new life when his other half had been erased like she meant nothing to the world?

Hands suddenly gripped either side of his face, forcing him to still. He yelped, surprised by the pain that radiated through his scabbed cheek, trying to pull back, but those hands tightened.

"Natsu," rang out a voice he knew well, a voice that served to anger him further even as his knees buckled in relief, " _enough_."

Lucy's eyes met his as he froze, uncertain of how to react to her. He saw his confusion reflected in her expression, albeit confusion for his actions rather than confusion as to why he stood before her. Her grip loosened when she realized she'd accidentally scraped a piece of scab away, leaving blood free to drip down his cheek and along her fingers. He recoiled at the thought, physically trying to get away.

He didn't want to see crimson-stained gold, not again.

When she tried to keep a hold of him, he ripped free, swatting her hands away in agitation, not able to bring himself to care when he left a stinging blow on her fingers. She didn't seem to notice, stepping back instead, even as her tired eyes darted up and down his form, as if reassuring herself that he was alive and relatively unharmed while simultaneously trying to understand what had happened to make him so explosive.

His breathing ragged, he rasped, "Don't touch me. Don't…don't touch me."

Lucy's jaw tightened, hurt flashing across her features, and he wanted to apologize and beg her forgiveness almost immediately. At the same time, he felt cruel pride at it. Let her hurt like he did. She was nothing like his Lucy, nothing but a copy of the woman he'd loved so fiercely that he didn't think that singular word was enough to describe it.

"I…I'm going to go get Gajeel," whispered Wendy, and darted from the room. Natsu felt a twinge of guilt. But he only stared down Lucy, who lifted her chin and shoved her thoughts from her face.

"You're going to hurt yourself if you keep going around like that," she said quietly.

Natsu turned his back on her, moving to right the chair. Before he could even try bending down to pick it up, she'd interrupted, doing it herself. He glared at her, but dropped heavily into it, pressing a hand over his hurting side. "Who cares?" he finally muttered.

"I do," she retorted. "I care a lot, thank you very much." Her voice trembled, and he refused to meet her gaze. "I watched you nearly bleed out on my floor, Natsu. I care a hell of a lot that you could hurt yourself like that again."

More guilt. He was upsetting her, the girl so much like his Lucy, his starlit girl. He hated it. But he couldn't stop himself. "Well, don't. I don't want you to care. Stay away from me. I don't want anything to do with you."

Lucy looked like she'd been struck in the face, wide-eyed and so full of hurt that he had to look away again, not wanting to see.

"Alright, that's enough," growled Gajeel as he came storming in. Natsu didn't care that there was a violent look to him, as if he was planning on punching Natsu for scaring Wendy as he had. Natsu just glared at him. Let him. He'd have started the fight himself if he could bring himself to stand up. "Just 'cause you're in a bad mood doesn't mean you get to take it out on her, Salamander. She's been through enough, you hear me?"

Natsu's gaze sharpened. _Salamander_. Once. Just once, he'd called Natsu that name in this life, and it had been after he'd destroyed the kitchen. Natsu's eyes locked briefly with Gajeel's before a wide, wicked grin meant to mock him appeared. " _Salamander_ ," he parroted back at him, and a laugh bubbled from him, loud and near hysterical. Lucy looked downright confused, but he ignored her as he purred, "You can't call me that anymore. I can't be Salamander here."

Gajeel, having turned to talk to Lucy and likely ask her to leave – and probably offer a gruff apology on Natsu's behalf – stopped dead. "What'd you just say?" he said, slowly turning to face Natsu again.

"I _said_ ," Natsu said, waving him off dismissively, "don't call me that. You don't get to call me that. Only one person called me that, and _you're not him_."

Gajeel studied Natsu, understanding dawning in his eyes, and then turned back to Lucy. "Look, he's on medications and stuff and he's been an ass for the last few days. Doesn't know what he's talking about–"

"Liar," Natsu said over Gajeel, "I know exactly what I'm talking about."

"–and believe me," continued Gajeel as if he'd not been interrupted, "he's gonna hate himself for all the shit he's saying right now later. Sorry for bringing you over. Thought it'd help, but…"

Lucy huffed, looking agitated, and Natsu scowled at her when she glared at him, hurt replaced with an offended irritation. "It's fine," she murmured, turning her attention back on Gajeel. She faltered. "Thank you for thinking to ask me over though. I've been meaning to ask, but…I didn't want to just show up, and I thought…well, it _is_ my fault he...I thought you wouldn't like me stopping by or calling."

Natsu thought Gajeel was surprisingly gentle when he gave her a crooked grin, dropping a hand on her head and roughly ruffling her hair. She squawked in surprise and a hint of pain when his fingers brushed a spot on her head. "Ain't your fault, you hear me? S'the crazy lady's. You got stuck in a bad situation, too. You still staying with Levy?"

"Yes. Or Gray. And Sting, once or twice. Whoever's got the time for me."

"Anyone else?"

She looked confused, and Natsu grumbled at the tears she blinked away. "Mira, just once. Her house is full with her boyfriend staying over though, so…"

"Good. It ain't your fault, remember that." He patted her head again and then waved her off, clearly indicating she should leave. "Go back to where you're stayin'. I'm sure this idiot," he jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "will come by in a day or two and grovel at your feet for forgiveness."

"I'll grovel at her feet when Igneel comes back from the dead again," muttered Natsu under his breath, and this time, rather than ignoring him, Gajeel snarled at him to shut up before turning his attention back on Lucy, who looked alarmed.

"Okay…" said Lucy slowly. She ran a hand through her hair; Natsu noticed that it seemed shorter, that a spot had been shaved away on her head. "I…" She retreated towards the door a step and then shook her head, turning to Natsu. "I'll see you later," she said simply, voice shaking, and then swept from the room. Gajeel didn't move, waiting, and even winced when there was a muffled crying sound before the door slammed shut.

The second he was sure Lucy was gone, Gajeel rounded on him. Natsu scowled as Gajeel stared at him, still looking more inclined to punch him than anything. He glared right back at Gajeel until Gajeel suddenly sighed heavily and ran his hands down his face in a tired motion. "You're worse than I was, Salamander. Least I didn't throw anything at Wendy."

Natsu faltered, eyeing him a bit more warily. Finally he decided on a muttered, "Don't _call_ me that."

Gajeel gave him a sharp look and dragged out a chair. He heavily flopped into it, propping his chin on a curled fist, stretching his legs out in front of him. "Why not? You're him." A pause. "Maybe not, 'cause the Salamander I remember wouldn't have done that to Lucy. Would have ripped his own tongue out before he'd behave like that to her."

Agitation flickered back to life and Natsu's fingers twitched, curling into fists. "That's not Lucy. She's not here. She's dead."

"No," retorted Gajeel, "you're just an idiot who's too blind to realize that she's just not woken up like you have." He huffed, glaring for a few minutes. "And you're not the same Natsu from last time. You're different, too, so you don't get to turn around and tear her into more pieces than she already is, you hear me? Levy said she's just barely been able to start piecing herself together again."

Natsu, guilty but not wanting to admit it, looked away. He felt like his skin was crawling. "I'm me," he muttered stubbornly. "I don't feel any different than I did before."

"Before what?" Gajeel was relentless, words whipping out the second he crafted them. "Before you died? Before you remembered? Before _what_ Natsu?" When Natsu couldn't answer, he snorted and muttered, "Look. Do what you want, it's your life. If you want to be an idiot and lose your chance at having as good a life as you can, be my guest, but I ain't gonna let you ruin Wendy's or Lucy's. They might never remember, and they don't deserve you being hard on 'em just because they're not who you want them to be. You say a single word like you just did again, to _either_ of them," threatened Gajeel, "and I'll make damn sure that you never get the chance to see 'em again."

Natsu said nothing, only grumbled to himself and stared hard at his lap as Gajeel finally rose to his feet again and left. Desperation bubbled up, and the longer he sat there, the more his skin crawled. Finally, Natsu just rocked to his feet. He dry swallowed the pills still laying on the table and then muttered to himself and left, too.

He didn't bother to tell anyone where he was going as the door slammed shut behind him.

* * *

From where he sat, tapping on his knee with a single finger, Gray watched the world outside the window pass by. Every now and then, he'd either sip at the drink in front of him, take a bite of one of several pastries, or glance over to ensure that his friend was still doing alright.

As of late, he'd been letting her leave alone, but after the way she'd come in a few days before, broken and stumbling and sobbing so hard she'd made herself sick…

It had taken him hours to pry the story from her, around hysterical words and self-blame. Natsu, as it turned out, had certainly not wanted anything to do with her and had very loudly expressed the desire that he wanted nothing to do with her.

 _"How could he?"_ she'd said, and Gray's heart clenched at the memory of how hopeless and miserable she'd sounded. _"It's my fault. It's all my fault."_

He'd kick his ass the next time he saw that pink-haired idiot. Gray's fingers curled into fists before relaxing. He'd not soon forgive or forget the damage he'd left on Lucy. Regardless of the fact that Natsu had been severely hurt, he wasn't the only one who'd been affected by what had happened.

Her dreams hadn't gotten any better either, and had only been replaced by new ones. She awoke hysterical most nights, waking him up in the process, and while he didn't mind, he _was_ tired.

She'd not slept for more than an hour or two each night since visiting Natsu's house.

A hand sliding over his arm caught his attention, and Gray made himself smile in greeting when Juvia, who'd come into town the second she'd heard what had happened, slid into the seat beside him. "Hey."

She smiled softly back at him, and Gray leaned back, turning his attention on her and her alone. Sometimes, Gray wished she knew what he knew, but other times…he was glad that she didn't. She didn't deserve the confusing struggle that came with remembering as he did. He just wanted to see her happy, and it was convenient that she found herself happy with him.

"How's Lucy?" Juvia asked quietly.

"Not well." He winced. "She's…I don't know how she's functioning at this point." He sighed heavily. "Natsu really screwed her up. I think if he'd not been so…cruel, I guess, she'd be fine."

Juvia gave him a sympathetic look and looked over to where Lucy silently worked, methodologically cleaning a pan. Her eyes were blank, her lips holding no trace of the smiles or anything of the person he knew and loved. She was miserable. "She'll recover. It'll take a long time, but…she's strong. She'll push through."

"I just wish Natsu would think about someone other than himself for a change," muttered Gray, pushing his hand through his hair with a frustrated sigh. "I know they only went on one date, but she really loves the idiot, you know? She never had anyone like that, not even me or Levy."

Juvia hummed, listening to his fears without interruption. When he was done, she said, "Natsu is struggling, too. Juvia's sure that once he recovers, he'll think things through properly and come back. It's not like him to act like this, hurt or not. There must be something else going on that we don't know about. Has Yukino spoken with her?"

"Yeah. Every day, but…it's different, I think. Yukino wasn't hurt." Not that he'd want the girl to be hurt. Yukino had been having issues, too, eyeing various parts of the bakery whenever she came in with horror.

"Thank you," said Gray suddenly, glancing at the pretty blue-haired woman beside him, and she looked back with confusion. "For coming to help out."

She smiled at him brightly. "Juvia would have come even if no one had been hurt," she said simply. Her gaze slid to something over his shoulder. "Mm, Juvia has a good feeling about today."

Something knocked quietly on the glass beside Gray's head and Gray looked over his shoulder. He blanched at the sight of a scowling Natsu Dragneel standing there, impatiently glaring at him.

"I'm gonna kill him," muttered Gray even as he rose to his feet.

Juvia giggled and said simply, "Juvia will keep an eye on Lucy."

He sighed and thanked her. It took him only moments to duck out of the bakery. Lucy had removed the bell, so the door was quiet when it swung shut behind him. Something about hating the sound that hurt her head every time she walked in. Gray strode along the sidewalk, searching, and found Natsu waiting nearby, leaning against the building next door. Gray hesitated, studying him.

He looked exhausted, face gray. He kept one hand firmly planted against his side, as if it was bothering him, and Gray made a mental note to have Levy tell Gajeel. Knowing Natsu, he probably had either an infection or hadn't been taking his medications properly. He held himself differently now, too, his body constantly braced as if he expected something to come and attack him.

Huffing, Gray stopped a foot away and said sharply, "I want to punch you, but if I do that, you're going to collapse, which would upset Lucy regardless of what you did, so go ahead and tell me what you want so I can go back inside."

Natsu blinked, glancing at him with an intelligence that Gray couldn't say he'd noticed before. He swept his gaze up and down Gray, judging, and then looked away again. When he said nothing, Gray bristled.

"What the hell do you want, man? I'm trying to make sure your girlfriend doesn't hurt herself on accident cleaning something, so–"

He didn't miss the way Natsu seemed to change, immediately angry and scowling. "Don't. I don't want to talk to you about her. That's not why I'm here."

Taken aback by the firm declaration, Gray stepped back and studied him. "Huh," he muttered a few moments later, suddenly realizing just why Natsu looked so different. He recognized a few nervous habits that hadn't been there the last time he'd seen him. The constant shifting, the way he crooked his head in a positively predatory fashion. "You really got screwed up when you remembered everything, didn't you?"

Natsu ignored the comment and instead said, "Gajeel and you remember. Who else?" Gray simply stared at him, not knowing what to say regarding the dark attitude of someone who'd been so bright and happy mere months before – and in his last life. "Tell me," he snapped.

Gray ran a hand through his hair and said quietly, "Levy. She was the first, I think. She's known longer than anyone else. Mira, Lisanna, Elfman. Mira told me when Gajeel first remembered. And Erza. She's going to kick your ass for what you did, by the way."

"Jellal and Meredy, too, right?" Natsu wouldn't look at him, merely stared ahead. "They have to. Or Levy wouldn't have been so friendly with them right away."

"Yeah, them, too." Gray took a deep breath and decided to try a different stance. "Natsu," he said quietly, "look. I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but…come on, man. Don't do _this_. Don't hurt everyone else because you don't like how things turned out. I mean, I hate that I remember. I really do. It makes life hell sometimes. But…we got another chance."

Rather than giving him a nasty look as he had been, Natsu only rasped, "I don't want another chance, I want Lucy."

Had it been anyone else, had it been said any other way, Gray would have punched him regardless of whether he'd collapse or not. But Natsu said it so longingly, so brokenly, that Gray only said patiently, "She's right here, Natsu. It's her. A little different, and she doesn't remember, but it's still Lucy."

Rather than responding to that, though he looked a little less angry about it than he had the first time Lucy had been brought up, Natsu asked instead, voice quivering a fraction, "What happened? After I…what happened to you and Lucy? I could hear some of it." He shuddered, running a hand over his eyes and scrubbing at one with the hell of his hand. "I heard her…her screaming."

Gray swallowed nervously. It was something he avoided thinking about at all costs, because he couldn't bring himself to think about it. "Acnologia came after us. I think I was…there was a blast and then I don't remember anything after that. I don't know what happened to Lucy, but from what she's mentioned…"

Natsu gave a soft, but sharp exhale. "Acnologia…he crushed her then. Crushed her, ate her, whatever. It's what happens in her nightmares, why she wasn't sleeping."

Gray blanched at the thought, feeling sick. He hated that he'd remembered everything, but what Natsu was focusing on…

"I thought she was dead."

Gray blinked at him when Natsu looked his way, and Gray felt a flash of fear for the man who'd once been like a weird brother to him. Who, he silently admitted, still _was_ a brother. He looked as if he was wavering on his feet now and there were tears rolling down his face. "I thought Lucy was dead."

He took a deep breath and let go of all the anger he'd felt towards Natsu over the last few days and weeks. He gave him a broad grin instead, reassuring, "I know you don't feel like it's the same, Natsu, but Lucy…she's alive. She's in the bakery, right now. She doesn't remember you, or me, or anyone else. Just this life. But it _is_ her. Look for the quirks. The things that make her her."

Natsu thought it over and then laughed under his breath. "Tea." Gray quirked a brow in confusion and Natsu admitted, "When she drinks her tea, she always goes for two drinks. She never does it in ones. She can't help it. She likes it too much. And usually she'll go for another, just because."

It was something Gray would have never thought of. A quirk that did exist, now that he thought about it, but never one he would have noticed. "See? It really is her, Natsu. She's not completely the same, but that's Lucy, all the same."

Natsu took a shuddering breath, scrubbing harder at his eyes. "I…the things I said. I didn't mean…Gajeel handed me a box of Igneel's things, and I couldn't figure out what was real, and I really didn't mean to…" Natsu sounded as if he couldn't get his thoughts together, but he tried anyways.

"The last thing I saw was you two. And then I heard her screaming, and all I could think about was Dimeria and how she…when you came after me 'cause I was what I was, I'd thought she was dead then. There was blood all over her face and no matter what I did, I couldn't wake her up."

Understanding flashed through Gray. "It mixed together. All of it mixed together, and you thought that was the now because it almost happened a second time." He considered that for a moment, remembering Juvia in the past and how he'd thought she was dead, too. She'd not been, but he would never forget how thinking she was felt.

"You know," Gray said suddenly, lips twitching in a hint of a smile, "she _is_ Lucy. She'll forgive you."

"I don't know if I can look at her," was Natsu's blunt honest response. "If I do, I'll want to do what I used to, but that's...not the me now. She'll know something's off. And I won't tell her. I can't tell her about all of it, she won't believe me, or she'll remember, and I don't think I want her to have to deal with it."

Gray understood _that_ entirely.

"So do your best to pretend. S'what I do," said Gray with a shrug, folding his arms thoughtfully. "I just…go around, doing my usual stuff and most of the time I don't think about what happened. I just…focus on the now, and it works out. It's the only way I think you can really live with it. Unless you're Levy. She's just…weird. She said she's remembered from the first moment she could."

A ghost of a grin crossed Natsu's face before it was gone. "If I go into the bakery–"

"She's in there, and she'll talk to you. Just…be careful with her, would you?" Gray glanced over his shoulder when the bakery door opened. He blinked, realizing Lisanna was on her way out, bag shouldered. She paused when she saw them – saw Natsu – and he hastily waved her on, even when Natsu briefly glanced her way and grimaced.

Lisanna frowned, but waved and continued on her way.

Gray turned his attention back on the man before him. "She's in a bad way, Natsu. The dreams haven't stopped, and she's… _really_ not doing well after what happened with you."

Natsu nodded, slowly staggering forward a few steps. He stumbled, and Gray found himself grabbing his shoulder. "Hey," he said, "when's the last time you took your meds, Natsu? Levy said that Gajeel said you were on a few different ones to help."

"Doesn't matter, I don't want them," muttered Natsu, and Gray was left frowning after him as Natsu pushed his way into the Heartfilia Bakery.

* * *

 _I've been on a roll with this story. And I ABSOLUTELY did NOT plan for this chapter to go this way. Natsu was initially supposed to just...kind of roll with it? But then this came out and I loved it so much more._

 _Also, this chapter turned out strangely long? I was really having fun with it._

 _Thanks to reviewers (_ _FairyTailxFanGirl, NaluNom, Abdltf, LePengwen, stranger1999, and itsxoi!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	28. Carry On My Wayward Son

**. Carry On My Wayward Son .**

* * *

" _Though my eyes could see, I still was a blind man._

 _Though my mind could think, I still was a mad man._

…

 _On a stormy sea of moving emotion –_

 _Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean._

 _I set a course for winds of fortune,_

 _But I hear the voices say:_

 _~x~_

 _Carry on my wayward son._

 _There'll be peace when you are done._

 _Lay your weary head to rest._

 _Don't you cry no more."_

~ "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas

* * *

The first thing Lucy had done when she'd finally been able to drag herself to the bakery a few weeks after everything had happened had been to remove that bell. All it had taken was one ring – one moment in which she turned to stare and feel dread – for her to decide she'd not have it in her bakery anymore.

Gray had been the one to do it. One quiet request, and he'd had it down within the day, although he'd chipped some paint from the doorframe by accident in the process. She didn't mind; he'd gotten the bell down, and that was all she'd cared about.

Lucy wasn't an idiot. She knew that she'd worried plenty of people more than they let on. Particularly Gray, who'd been the one that had stayed with her the most throughout the last few weeks. Levy, too, was there when she could be, but something big had been found in the new museum pieces, and it had left her as busy as could be. Lucy didn't know what it was, but she knew Levy was excited – and upset about it.

When she knew her waking up in the middle of the night grew to be too much for Gray, knowing he didn't do as well as she did on lacking sleep, she'd switch to Sting's for a night or two, or Levy's. More and more, she'd been finding herself at Sting's though, finding herself comfortable with his and Rogue's company. Rogue was peaceful and quiet, reading or enjoying his time in silence while Sting worked in the evenings. Lucy was even able to doze when he was around. He seemed…solid, in a way, like a form of support that didn't need to be implemented.

Lucy scrubbed at some platters mindlessly with a rag, polishing what she knew didn't need it. A softly humming Mirajane simply left her to do what she wanted, taking care of the customer interactions and deterring them when they wanted to go up to Lucy and inquire about how she was doing. Lucy was immensely grateful for the intereference; she didn't think she'd be able to handle taking to any of them. Not today.

The dreams hadn't been as bad, despite her lacking sleep. The one in which she was crushed between powerful jaws had vanished, leaving her curious as to what Rogue had meant by listening to them. She'd spoken to him about it once, and he'd shrugged, suggesting that maybe she'd heard the message it had been trying to give her. She'd dubbed it a warning months in the making and scolded herself for not listening, although she couldn't imagine what the dream had in common with what had happened.

Lucy had decided to stop thinking about it, not eager to have such dreams again.

Not that the new ones were any better. She dreamed of the attack that had happened, of Natsu's blood staining her hands and knees. She couldn't handle that well either and had started simply avoiding sleep even more than before, which was easier said than done.

Lucy set aside the platter she'd just finished and let out a heavy sigh, setting her towel aside and rubbing her face. She was so, so tired, and she just…wanted it to be over. Wanted her dreams to end.

And she wanted to stop thinking so much about Natsu Dragneel.

She wasn't sure what had changed – why he seemed to dislike her so much. She knew it might have something to do with what had happened. She didn't know why Dimeria Yesta had hated her so much, or why she'd come after her, but she had come after Lucy and Natsu had been in the middle of it. It was her fault; no one could convince her otherwise.

She'd just not expected the response she'd gotten from Natsu about it.

Never had Lucy expected Natsu to react as he had when she'd come in the door. She knew it hadn't been entirely her. There was something that had set him off before, and Gajeel had been shockingly insistent on ensuring that she wasn't at fault – even going so far as showing up at Levy's to make sure she'd not left his house and thought otherwise.

But still.

Lucy would have never expected Natsu to spit such angry, cruel words at her. _Never_. He'd been the one person she'd trusted to never have to worry about, the one person who she could turn around and call on whenever she needed him and not be judged for it. She'd thought he'd help no matter what it was.

Yet…he'd completely shattered that illusion.

The way he'd looked at her had been more than enough. Even if he'd not spoken, she'd not soon forget the look on his face when he'd noticed her in the room, when he'd looked at her with such disgust and horror, as if he'd just found that she'd betrayed him in the worst way possible.

Yet despite everything, she was worried. He'd not been seen in a few days, she'd heard. Wendy had sent her a text asking and explaining that he'd disappeared the same day he'd been rude to her. He'd not been seen since, vanishing into thin air, and the poor girl was desperate to find him. Additionally, he'd not taken any of his medication with him, and Wendy found herself frantic that he'd get sick or hurt himself worse.

Lucy had been unable to do much to help; she'd offered to keep an eye out, possibly send Sting out like a hound to find him, and had even promised to inform everyone else who knew him to let her know if they saw him, but…what else could she do when Natsu wanted nothing to do with her?

Lucy shook such thoughts from her head and took a shaken breath, pressing her lips together. She'd be fine, she told herself. She always had been, no matter what life threw at her. When her mother had died, she'd survived. When her father had tried to push her into things she didn't like, she'd survived. When the dreams had first started, she'd survived.

She'd do just fine without Natsu Dragneel, even if she felt incredibly lonely without him.

"Lucy," a voice suddenly called, and Lucy turned when she realized it was Juvia. Juvia had ducked behind the counter, running her hands nervously through her blue hair. Lucy raised a hand in greeting, tipping her head, and Juvia stopped before her, offering a gentle smile. "Gray ran out, but will be back soon."

"Oh?" Lucy was surprised; he'd been nearly stalking her recently, ensuring that nothing bad happened. Not that anything would. Yes, she was exhausted, but she wasn't going to pass out at random. Well, at least she didn't think she would. She certainly hoped not. "What's he doing?"

Juvia opened her mouth, closed it, and then debated for a moment. Finally, she said, "Well, err, Natsu showed up and wanted to talk with him."

Lucy stared blankly at her for a few minutes. "He came in _here_ –" she began to say, a little angry that he'd even consider coming to her bakery after what had happened.

"No, no," said Juvia hastily, "he just knocked on the glass and Gray went out to talk. Juvia thought it more interesting that Natsu wanted to talk with Gray of all people. They are rather…well, they don't get along."

"That's putting it lightly," muttered Lucy before frowning a little more. She wasn't just miserable about what Natsu had done, she realized now that she was being confronted with the possibility of seeing him. She was annoyed – angry. Regardless of whether or not she'd been at fault for what had happened…she'd been frantic with fear and worry over the last few weeks.

"Juvia's not sure he'll come in," said Juvia gently. "But Juvia thought you should know. Just in case."

"Thank you, Juvia," said Lucy with a heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose with two fingers. She hesitated before asking reluctantly, cursing her own worried thoughts, "How'd he look?" She was angry with him; she shouldn't have been so anxious about how he was.

"Not well," admitted Juvia, shaking her head. She glanced over her shoulder with a quiet frown. "Juvia thinks that he should go and do a checkup in the hospital today, if he can be convinced."

Not what Lucy wanted to hear, but news nonetheless. "Okay. Thanks, Juvia." Juvia waved slightly and then left to go sit back down with her drinks and snacks, intending to wait for Natsu.

Effectively distracted and unable to focus back on what she'd been doing, Lucy leaned her hip on the counter and scrubbed her hands down her face, hoping that it would help to drive her exasperation away. Heavens above, she was frustrated with herself and Natsu. Mostly herself, because she was supposed to be able to control herself and her thoughts. Apparently, however, that wasn't the case.

Lucy forced herself to go back to work, putting the platters she'd been scrubbing away. Finished, she ducked around to go to the back office and do some paperwork-related things in the hopes that if Natsu _did_ come in, she'd be able to avoid him. She didn't want to see him – didn't want to sit there and listen to him say such things again.

She kicked the door shut, and then dropped heavily into the swiveling office chair, slouching back into it. She was almost tempted to take a nap there, she thought, yawning, but didn't dare. She'd only end up dreaming and then the entire world would hear her when she woke up.

Lucy sat up and was reaching over to drag some paperwork out when there was a knock on the door and Mirajane peeked in. "Everything okay?"

"Yep," said Lucy with false cheer. "I'm just…you know, taking a break and doing some paperwork."

"Like paperwork is a break," Mirajane said, rolling her eyes. She smiled gently and said, "and you're lying. Natsu's just ducked in with Gray. Juvia said she warned you he was here."

"Don't tell him I'm back here, I don't want to talk to him," Lucy whined, and Mirajane's smile widened, although there was a saddened look that suddenly appeared in her eyes.

"I won't tell him, but I'm fairly certain he knows you're here. Knowing him, regardless of what he's been like lately, he won't leave until he gets his way." Mirajane smiled one last time and then left, closing the door behind her. Lucy pushed her hair from her face, grateful for Mirajane's agreeable behavior – and also cursing her for knowing things as well as she did, because she was entirely correct.

Natsu Dragneel was as stubborn as they came and would likely sit himself in the bakery until she came out if it came down to it.

Luckily, Lucy considered herself just as stubborn and fully intended to remain in her little office until he left.

Scowling to herself, Lucy went to work, skimming through paperwork and focusing on the words on each page with an intensity she'd never had when looking through it previously. When she got through it all much too quickly – which she considered shocking, considering the fact that half of it was in regards to the event in which her life had been turned upside down.

Filing it away to be finished up entirely via delivery the next day, Lucy rocked back in her seat and frowned at her desk. Someone had ensured that it was picked up at some point and Lucy blinked, realizing that one, she hadn't done it, and two, no one _ever_ picked up her cluttered desk. A twist in her chest made her want to cry.

People were so worried, she realized, they were taking care of every little thing that might make her feel better.

She ran her fingers along her arms to try and shake off the sudden hitch in her breath, to try and keep from crying, and was effectively distracted when her office door opened. She spun her chair around, wary, and was relieved to find that it was just Gray.

"Hey, Lucy," he muttered, grimacing.

"Hi. What's up?" she responded, studying him closely. He looked like he needed a nap; her fault, of course, and something she was sincerely apologetic for. Maybe she'd stay at Sting's again, or go visit Levy's. Just…not alone, she wouldn't go home alone.

"I have to head out," said Gray with a heavy sigh, grimacing. "I need to go and do something. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes," said Lucy immediately, though she wasn't entirely sure herself. "Mira's here, and–"

"Lucy, Mira left like half an hour ago." Gray said it gently, as if he was worried it would alarm her, and Lucy blinked at him before rolling her eyes.

"Okay, so Yukino then." There was always at least one of the three at the bakery, and it wasn't Lisanna. Lisanna had left a few hours prior. And Yukino was trustworthy – she'd help keep Lucy safe from any prying customers and Natsu.

Gray still looked hesitant, as if he didn't really want to leave, and Lucy found herself sitting up straight and giving him a narrow-eyed glare. "Contrary to everyone's belief, Gray, I'm not gonna snap in half. I'm fine. Tired, but _fine_. When I close up, I'll go crash at Levy's or something."

"If you're sure," said Gray warily, startled by the sudden attitude. Normally, she was too tired to spark such a response. "I'll pick you up tomorrow and we'll go hang out if you're up for it."

"That sounds good. I'll text you later." Lucy softened a little. "And sorry. I know Natsu's out there and it's…put me on edge."

Gray studied her closely for a few moments before saying slowly, "He does want to talk to you. I'm not saying _don't_ kick his ass, but I can see where he's coming from. Not an excuse, mind you. Don't let him make anything that's wrong an excuse. But he's got some other stuff going on that I doubt he'll want to talk about to even you."

"I know, I won't," she promised. Lucy flashed him a tired grin, truly grateful for the fact that he was a good friend of hers – even if she wondered what the hell was so off that Natsu would talk to Gray but not to her. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Gray gave a small, half-wave, and then left. Lucy took a deep breath as she listened to the door clicks shut behind him and leaned back, considering what he'd said to her. She tapped her fingers on the desk, furrowing her brow. "What other stuff?" she muttered to herself, frustrated.

She wanted so badly to know, but…

It wasn't her business if he didn't think it was.

What _was_ her business was the fact that Natsu was out there, waiting for her to come out and talk with him, and perfectly content to let her come at her own pace. He _had_ to be aware that she knew he was there. He was smart, regardless of what Gajeel and a few others thought. There was a clever edge to his mind that no one else seemed to take notice of, and he was happy for it.

And she was thinking of Natsu Dragneel again, Lucy realized, scowling. She didn't want to, but she was.

Lucy glared at the door, hesitant. She actually _did_ want to talk with him – to demand answers about why he'd been so harsh on her for no reason. But at the same time…talking with him might lead to similar responses, and she wasn't sure she was ready for that.

The decision, however, was made for her when a few minutes of staring later there was a simple pattern of knocks on the door that made her stomach flip in recognition. She knew those patterns – had listened to them before smiling when Natsu had walked in a few seconds later. It was a habit he'd somehow developed over the course of their friendship.

Lucy pressed her lips together, debating whether or not to answer. Finally, figuring she might as well just get this conversation over with, Lucy spun away from the door and dragged her paperwork over to her to give the impression that she was working as she called nervously, "Come in."

She stared hard at the completed piece of paperwork in her hand, not comprehending what she was staring at as the door opened and someone – Natsu, she knew – ducked in. Natsu cleared his throat after a moment, trying to catch her attention properly, but she ignored him.

She was angry, and hurt, and she wasn't entirely sure she'd be able to keep from crying if she saw his face right now. Whether it would be simply miserable tears or angry frustration, Lucy couldn't really say at the moment. So, without turning around, she said simply, "What can I do for you, Natsu?" His name was odd in her mouth, tainted with bitterness in a way that it hadn't ever been – as if it had been covered with ash.

She heard him take a deep breath, the sound ragged and painful sounding, and she admittedly felt a flash of concern despite her irritation. There was definitely something wrong.

"I…" He faltered, his voice hoarse, as if he wasn't entirely sure of what he wanted to say. "I wanted to say sorry." She kept her back to him, refusing to look in his direction. "For what I said. I don't want you to not care or anything else like that, Luce." She flinched at the nickname, pressing her lips together. "I got…overwhelmed. S'not an excuse or anything. Just…Gajeel tried to get me to go through Igneel's stuff, and my side hurts, and it was just…just a really bad time."

Lucy took a long moment, slowly setting aside her paper. She kept her mouth shut, not sure what she wanted to say in response to everything. What the hell was she supposed to say to him after what had happened? She spared a brief look out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't see much like that, only a brief flicker of pink.

Natsu sighed heavily, though he didn't seem surprised by her refusal to respond. He fell quiet, thinking, and then added, "I told Gray, but I really thought you were dead."

 _That_ particular phrase dragged her around and she slowly turned to stare at him, exasperated and shocked. "You _what_?" she sputtered, furrowing her brow. " _You_ thought _I_ was dead? You were the one with the gunshot injury!"

He shrugged, and Lucy took in his appearance for the first time in weeks. He was gaunt, as if he'd not been eating like he should have, and there was a sickly look to his face. He was shaking, his hands trembling, and only upon looking at him did Lucy really notice that he pressed one hand tightly over his injury, barely seeming to care.

"Natsu–" she began uncertainly, but he continued speaking, onyx eyes wide and locked on her face.

"S'the dreams," he mumbled, and she frowned at the way his words seemed to slur together, even as she found herself not really believing his words. She didn't think _Natsu_ even believed what he was saying. There was an uneasy flicker in his eyes, as if he knew something she didn't, and something in her churned.

Levy wore that look. Gray wore that look. Many of the people Lucy knew wore that look, and it was something she didn't understand.

"What dreams?" she said curtly, voice clipped and wary. "You didn't have any bad dreams."

"Yeah, I did," he muttered, "just not like you did. Not every night. Happened mostly while I was out, I guess. After what happened." He seemed to grow more confident about something, as if he'd sorted out something in his head about what he was saying. He met her gaze, and Lucy found that she couldn't look away.

Something had truly changed about Natsu Dragneel, she decided; she couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew there was something. She said nothing about it – even as she said quietly, frustrated, "You're lying to me, Natsu."

He furrowed his brow. "No–"

" _Yes_ ," she seethed, snapping him a sharp look. "You are. I know when you're lying, and you didn't dream anything while you were unconscious. If you're just going to lie about whatever's going on, get out. I'm not dealing with it."

Natsu scowled, looking frustrated. "You're not listening to me," he snapped right back.

"Why should I?" she challenged. "You don't want me to care about anything, right?" She glowered at him, furious, and Natsu gritted his teeth, glaring right back.

"That's not true." Natsu huffed, shifting his weight. "I told you I was sorry and didn't mean that." He rocked forward a bit, and then back, as if wavering on his feet. Lucy paused, considering whether or not she should continue her arguing attitude and simply just call an ambulance before he got much worse. She wasn't even sure he'd make a ride back to the hospital, if she was being perfectly honest. "I'm not a liar, Lucy."

"Then tell me why you're lying," she said firmly. "Because I like to think that I've gotten to know you fairly well over the past few months, and I know that you're lying about those dreams."

He made a weak gesture, opening his mouth and then closing it uncertainly. "I can't," he mumbled so quietly that Lucy arched a brow. "I _can't_ ," he said louder, this time a bit angrier. "Can't you just…you know, trust me on this?"

"I don't know," she said, the hurt from her last encounter with him sharp in her mind. "I really don't know if I can. You've never lied to me before." A true statement that made him wince, though he refused to say anything further. Finally, she gave up and simply leaned forward in her seat, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Fine. _Fine_. Don't tell me. Just…tell me why you've not been home in so long."

Natsu clenched his jaw and stood there, looking bothered by the idea of going home. After a moment, he said, "I can't."

"I can't," Lucy muttered, scowling, "I _can't_. Don't you have some other answer besides I _can't_?"  
Natsu huffed again and averted his gaze when she met it, staring him down. Lucy narrowed her eyes, realizing that he couldn't look her in the eye. Her frustration with his ridiculous answers and behavior bubbled up further and she shot to her feet. "You know what," she seethed, shaking her head, "do what you want. I have work to do, and until you're ready to actually talk like a normal person and _tell me what's going on_ , I'll be…well, where ever I'm staying for the night, since I'm not going to be at my old place."

She strode over, swiftly moving to duck around him. It threw Natsu off balance, but he snagged her arm before she could take a step further. " _Lucy_ ," he said sharply enough to catch her attention, forcing her to stop rather than allowing her to leave.

Rather than finding herself surprised by the motion, as she'd been expecting something similar, Lucy was more caught off guard by the fact that Natsu suddenly staggered, the motion throwing him off balance. He swore under his breath when he stumbled back a step, foot catching on the other, and nearly tumbled straight to the ground. Lucy grabbed his arm in turn to steady him, faltering at the way she heard him gasping for air.

Argument aside…he wasn't doing well.

At all.

"Natsu," she said quietly, uneasy, "seriously. Go home. Take your medication. Maybe go get a checkup."

"I'm fine," he snapped in return. Natsu yanked his arm away from her grasp, staggered again, and then managed to steady his balance. When he wasn't going to fall over, he rounded on her, onyx eyes narrowed. Lucy caught that knowing glint again, aware that it made her uncomfortable, and recognized some fear and agonizing grief resting there, too.

She took a deep breath, pushing her anger back. He was giving bad answers, but it didn't mean she couldn't try and give a good question. "Natsu," she said evenly, trying to be gentle with her tone even as she wanted to throttle him, "please just…tell me something. Something that isn't a lie, or 'I can't.' Just _something_."

He debated how to answer that. Finally, after a rather long moment of silence, he mumbled, "Your tea."

"…excuse me?" said Lucy, completely unprepared for that statement.

"Your tea," Natsu repeated, looking hard at anywhere but her face. "You can't just go for one sip. You always go for two or more."

"What…why…" Lucy trailed off, staring at him. What the _hell_ did that mean?

And the weird rambling didn't end there.

"And when you're petting Happy." Something in his voice trembled at the cat's name, as if Happy was a long-lost friend rather than his pet cat. "You always scratch his ears, then his chin, then his back. It's the same pattern, every time. You always hide the fact that you're wealthy by doing weird things no one else does. You care a lot for the plants you have in your place and talk to them. You know exactly what every regular likes and always give them extras when they're having a bad day. When you're nervous, you bite your cheek and when you're annoyed but can't show it, you play with your hands."

"Natsu, where are you going with this?" She was a little unnerved, to be honest, that he knew her habits so well. Sure, they'd spent a lot of time together, but…still. It was weird to think that someone had noticed so many things she didn't even realize she was doing.

Finally, Natsu met her gaze head on. He held it and Lucy was unable to look away as he hesitantly took a step closer. "I care. If you care."

He sounded like he was speaking gibberish, with his semi-slurred words and mixed up method of talk, but Lucy understood what he was trying to say and found herself reluctantly relaxing. She was still upset with him, and she'd not be letting him off the hook entirely, but…

Even in this state, Natsu was trying hard to get his point across, even if he didn't seem to entirely believe it himself. Lucy was tired, too, of being angry and upset. It only made her feel worse in general.

So, she took a deep breath and let out in a rush. "I believe you. But I won't forget you're lying about something, and I'm not sure I'm ready to trust you entirely yet." He gave her a tired, crooked grin to show he didn't mind. "Can you _please_ let me take you to the hospital now?"

He grin vanished and he set his jaw stubbornly. "No."

Rather than protesting as she normally would have, Lucy waved to the hand that was gently protecting the injury. "Can I at least take a look?" Her voice trembled a little at the idea; she'd not seen anything of the wound he'd received. She wasn't sure she wanted to, but she wanted to know if she'd need Gajeel to help her drag him to the hospital regardless of what he wanted.

Natsu eyed her suspiciously. "…okay," he agreed reluctantly. With slow movements, he lifted the hem of his shirt, and Lucy ducked her head to take a look, cringing delicately at the smell that came from it. It was a sweet, but sour odor that told her he really did need to go to the hospital to get looked at.

Her stomach twisted as she studied it. It could have been worse, she supposed. The scar would be shockingly large for a gunshot, although she'd heard that the bullet had been difficult to cut out, which might explain the size. It was tender looking and swollen – and so very clearly infected.

"Natsu," she said softly, sincerely concerned as he carefully lowered his shirt a moment later. "Please? Can you please go get it looked at? It looks terrible."

"Thanks," he said sarcastically, sliding his feet a little as if bracing himself. "And no."

"Why not?" she demanded in response, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes at him. She'd go to the grave fighting him on this matter, she decided then and there. "Why won't you go and get it looked at?"

Natsu worked his jaw and stared her down, trying to find a good reason that wouldn't make him sound ridiculous. The longer he took, the more exasperated Lucy became. Finally, Lucy said slowly, "Look, you can either go and get it looked at – and I'll take you, if you want, and I won't tell anyone else that doesn't know that you were here. _Or_ I will call Gajeel and Sting, and they'll come and make you go, and it'll upset Wendy even more than she already is."

She knew she'd struck a nerve because he visibly flinched. Finally, he muttered, " _Fine_ , I'll go. With you."

She relaxed, relieved. "Good. Thank you, Natsu. Come on," she sighed, brushing past him entirely, "I'll get you something to eat on the way…you don't look as if you've had anything to eat in a few days…"

* * *

The sound of soft snoring made Lucy want to roll her eyes as she ran her hands down her face, truly grateful for the never-ending patience of Levy McGarden, who stood beside her with a smile playing on her face. She'd not bothered to cover up her eyes even with Natsu there – not that it mattered with him unconscious and sprawled out fairly comfortably on the couch, half-drugged on medication.

"You really should," said Levy, turning her face in Lucy's general direction, "let Gajeel or Wendy know he's there. Gajeel's been running himself ragged trying to find him and Wendy's been a mess."

"I know, but I promised him I wouldn't," said Lucy with a heavy sigh.

"How about I tell Gajeel and make sure he doesn't show up and storm in the door?" suggested Levy. Her smile widened when she heard Lucy pause to honestly consider the option. "You don't break your promise and Natsu never needs to know."

"I feel like it's cheating…but sure. They need to know he's alright," sighed Lucy, throwing Levy a grateful look. Levy patted her arm and then confidently strode away to find her phone, which she would have left in one of two or three locations. Lucy turned her attention back on Natsu, worried.

He'd had an infection, which the hospital staff had cleaned out. The injury had been re-stitched, and Natsu had been given strict bed-rest instructions as well as a new set of prescribed medications to ensure he didn't get worse. Lucy was grateful that he already looked better, no matter how annoyed she was with him and his weird behavior.

She wandered over to the couch, peering down at him, and then sighed heavily, running her hand over his hair. It was limp and dull, unlike its normal wild due, and she stroked the strands comfortingly, remembering the conversation they'd had so long ago about how much she liked his hair. She missed the ease of that, she realized. The ease of their relationship and the peace of mind they'd both had despite occasional weird nightmares.

She missed her friend, her companion, her fellow dreamer.

She missed the Natsu she'd gotten to know – _her_ Natsu.

A lump formed in her throat, and not for the first time, Lucy realized that she was so very tired.

* * *

Levy was awoken quite suddenly by the hysterical screaming that flooded the house. She jolted awake, bleary and confused, but quickly realized it was Lucy. Shoving herself out of bed and fumbling her way to the door, Levy slid from her room and quickly trotted down the hall to the guest bedroom. She was half-way there when she felt and heard the heavy footsteps on the wooden floors, suggesting that she'd even managed to wake Natsu from his heavily medicated stupor.

Levy was puzzled when she stepped into Lucy's room, hearing Natsu's familiar voice thundering Lucy's name as he went to work on waking her. Knowing Lucy was sometimes violent when waking up, Levy stuck close, ready to help where Natsu could fail with his healing injury.

It had been a while since she'd had a nightmare this bad. She'd fallen into a habit of waking up in tears, yes, dreaming of Natsu's incident and even just once a pleasant dream. It had been weeks since she'd woken up screaming like this though, and it worried Levy.

The screaming cut off as Natsu murmured something so quietly that Levy couldn't hear. It was replaced by heavy sobs, waves of misery radiating off of Lucy. Levy felt horrible, wishing she could take the memories filling Lucy's head – memories she didn't understand – and throw them away for her.

It took some time for the crying to die off. Levy simply stood there, offering her company and letting her face remain turned in the vague direction she thought they were in. Not for the first time in recent days, Levy wished she could see – could look Lucy over as she'd once done to ensure she was okay.

Finally, after what must have been an hour, Natsu said lowly, "She's asleep again."

Levy focused her attention on him, narrowing in on where he was with practiced ease. "Good. She needs the sleep. She's still avoiding it when she can, regardless of what we've been telling her." She edged forward, fingers seeking until she found what must have been Natsu. Gently, he moved her hand so that it rested on Lucy's head. Smiling faintly in gratitude, Levy began to stroke her sweaty hair. "I'm glad that you've come back around. I thought you'd gone on the run."

Natsu replied simply, "I'd never leave Lucy."

"Mm, from what I hear, you thought about it."

"No. I just…couldn't piece out what was real." Natsu exhaled loudly, shifting. Levy listened to the creak of the bed, guessing he'd either gotten up or had pulled Lucy closer to him. She decided on the latter when his voice wasn't any higher above her head. There was a hint of pain in his voice, too, as if his injury was beginning to bother him.

Levy turned her hand onto his shoulder and squeezed comfortingly. "I'm sorry that you've remembered, Natsu, I truly am. I've started to realize that I'm the only one who doesn't seem to mind, and I know it's painful for you." Natsu grunted. "And I'm sorry that Lucy doesn't. It makes things harder when they don't remember."

Natsu paused before saying, "That's right, Gajeel didn't remember for a while."

"Nope." She smiled sadly, remembering the difficulties that had come with it. "It was really difficult to separate him from the one I knew before. I think it's something that'll take you some time to figure out, too."

Natsu suddenly huffed, frustrated. "It's not that hard. She's not the first Lucy."

"She is and she isn't," said Levy simply. "Just as you're not the first Natsu." He made an irritable sound, disagreeing, and Levy shook her head. "No, Natsu, you're not the first one. Even now, there are some quirks that differ. It comes with the new life, with the different time and place – the lack of magic." She took a deep breath and then added something she'd told herself dozens of time over the span of her life thus far. "Perhaps we were someone else, once upon a time. Perhaps we even hold their memories in our heads. Maybe it means something that we've found one another now for some strange unknown reason, but it doesn't mean we are them. Those other people are just that; other people. We are ourselves, with memories of another life and memories of this life, too. Separate them, understand that, and it's easier."

Natsu could have responded badly to her blunt words, but surprised her instead by saying quietly, "I don't feel like a different person. I remember everything, but I feel like _me_."

"I'm sure it's different for everyone, but the general rule applies to all of us who remember." Levy patted his head fondly and then turned to leave, fully trusting Natsu with Lucy. "As well as to those who don't. Lucy is not the past Lucy, Natsu, and you're not allowed to hold it against her. Hold it against her, and I'm perfectly capable of tracking a few people down who would very willingly hold it against _you_."

* * *

 _And the angst has semi-chilled out! Don't think it's completely over just yet though! I have a lot of angst planned for them. And to all of those who were hoping Lucy wouldn't forgive him straight off the bat, don't worry. She's not going to forget the incident. ;)_

 _nkukurichan, regarding Natsu's death...to put it simply, he didn't really die so to say. As in the manga, Lucy rewrote pieces of his book with Gray and it ended up erasing him entirely by accident. :) He simply disappeared._

 _Fairylove1501, regarding Erza...I've been thinking about her absence lately and will start bringing her in more! She does have a job (I need to go back and see if I wrote it out already or if I can decide on one) and she DOES come around Heartfilia Bakery often, I just don't write it for some reason._

 _Thanks to reviewers_ _(LePengwen, itsxoi, Guest #1, nkukurichan, stranger1999, Lodemai04, Brooke0315, Meow Orbit, Indebted, Embers, Forbidden-Hanyou, FairyTailxFanGirl, PinkFireandGoldenStars, Guest #2, Bananarock509, and Fairylove1501!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


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